A New Heart

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 36:26-27

When was the last time you read through the major and minor prophets in the Bible? It’s not a section I come to often, but I recently worked my way through most of the Bible with The Bible Project (if you haven’t heard of them, look them up on YouTube or in the Bible App!), including these books. Isaiah through the end of the Old Testament is a cycle of God’s prophets proclaiming that there will be punishment and exile for the people and desecration of the land, followed by the hope of return and restoration of the people and the land. The hopeful portions were sometimes fulfilled during the hearers’ lifetimes, sometimes through Jesus, and some of them we may still be waiting on.

Ezekiel was a prophet writing while living in exile in the land of Babylon. He had been taken with other Israelites during the first Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem. One of Ezekiel’s visions is of the Glory of God leaving the temple in Jerusalem because the idolatry of the hard-hearted Israelites had driven God away. He had not completely abandoned them, however, because Ezekiel saw God headed east toward Babylon, where His people were in exile.

Eventually, Ezekiel's visions turn to redemption and transformation. God promises Israel that He will rid them of their rebellious hearts that are constantly leading them away from Him. Their cold hearts of stone have caused them to whine and argue about every step of their journey after the Exodus from Egypt, first at Moses, then under the judges. They did okay for a little while under Kings David and Solomon. Then the national attitude went sour again until arriving here, in exile.

God’s replacement for these cold, sinful hearts is warm, soft hearts of worship. Through His promised Spirit, He will give them hearts that not only stop actively rebelling but are drawn to God’s laws and way of living. He will make them want to do what is good and right. He tells them a few verses prior that all of this restoration is “for the sake of [His] holy name.”

Where do we need renewal in our lives? Where do we need our rebellious heart replaced with a worshipful one? Our words or thoughts? The people on social media we allow to influence us? Our attitudes toward our work, family, or circumstances? Sit with God for a few minutes and allow Him to show you where you need renewal and if you need to repent of anything that is continuing to solidify your heart of stone. Then do your work, but ultimately rejoice that the work of renewing is not yours but God’s!

 Create in me a pure heart, O God,

    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 Do not cast me from your presence

    or take your Holy Spirit from me.

 Restore to me the joy of your salvation

    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalm 51:10-12

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

But those who hope in the Lord

    will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

    they will run and not grow weary,

    they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

Titus 3:3-7