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God tells His people, “I will give them an
undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from
them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel
11:19
Can you imagine God taking the broken hearted;
the hardened hearts of people and giving them a brand-new loving
heart? Anyone who has had a heart transplant knows how risky it is
to get a new heart.
- One must die so that another may
live.
- The old heart must be removed before the new
one can be put into place.
- The old heart must stop beating to allow the
new one to begin.
- The new heart must learn to circulate blood
once again.
The intricate process of detaching and
reattaching arteries is a lengthy process and is often rejected
because the tissue types have to match perfectly. Yet God, in all
His glory talks about giving us a new heart, like it’s a snap of His
fingers and undoubtedly it is that simple for the Great Physician.
He sees our brokenness and says, “I can make you as good as
new!” He sees our potential when we think we are hopeless.
He sees what we can be, not what we are. He sees faithfulness when
we see only our sinful nature.
So, God waits silently in the background for us
to call out His name. He patiently waits for us to ask Him for a new
heart.
“Where are you God?”( silence)
“How can You stand by and do nothing? I heard You
are a God of healing. I’m still hurting God!” (more
silence)
“If You are for real, then heal me! Fix me!
You have the power…don’t You?” (and more silence)
And
in that pivotal moment the Almighty hears the precious words of
acceptance. “O God, please HELP me!! I can’t do this
on my own…I need You!”
We don’t have the ability to see what God sees until He
touches our broken hearts with His blood stained hands. His touch
miraculously changes our hardened hearts into a heart that’s
perfectly new. Perfectly matched so that it cannot be rejected. He
attaches all the arteries that lead us to the pathway of
righteousness. He watches as our old heart stops beating so that He
can begin the heart of a new believer. He fills us with His Spirit
so that we become the vessels that transport His sacrificial blood
into others. He rejoices for this day a new heart of holiness is
awakened or reborn.
We’re all familiar with the song, “Change My
Heart, O God.” The words are simple but very powerful. Change my
heart, O God, make it ever true. Change my heart, O God, may I be
like you. You are the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me,
this is what I pray. Change my heart, O God. Make it ever true.
Change my heart, O God. I want to be like You.
Written by Brenda
Bates – June 2006
Scripture: I will give them an
undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from
them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they
will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be
my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts
are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring
down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign
LORD." ~Ezekiel 11:19-21~
Personal Thoughts: God has already
rescued us, carried us, restored us, and freed us from past,
present, and future sins through one extravagant act of love…the
sacrifice of His Son Jesus. Each one of us has a choice in this life
that will determine where we live throughout eternity. Keep in mind
that by not making a choice - you are in fact choosing. Eternity is
but one breath away; a single heartbeat.
If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your
Lord and Savior, I invite you to do it now. Please read this
simple prayer:
”Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I’m a sinner and
need Your forgiveness. I believe that You willingly died for all my
sins. I want to change! I want You to restore in me a new heart. I
want to be like You. I want to follow You as my Lord and Savior. In
Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
If you sincerely prayed this prayer, the
heavens are now rejoicing over the birth of a new believer or a
recommitted soul. If you have questions about salvation I encourage
you to talk to your church pastor, minister, priest, or spiritual
leader about your new commitment. You can also get more information
from the following links:
Remember: You are worthy of God’s love. Don’t
EVER let anyone tell you anything different. Blessings to you in
your journey of faith.
Prayer to the Father: Heavenly Father,
precious Jesus, and ever-present Holy Spirit I adore You. I often
feel so unworthy of Your love but I know that You love me and want
me to live with You throughout eternity. I choose You Lord. I choose
to love You and welcome You into my heart each day with thanks and
praise.
Lord, I confess that I don’t always follow Your lead. I often
stray off the pathway that keeps me protectively in Your care. Thank
You for the gentle nudges that bring me back to Your side. Hold me
close within Your precious reach so that I constantly feel Your
presence throughout the day and even in the wee hours of the night.
Lord reveal the changes you want me to make in
my life. Unlock the doors that keep me out and use me to do Your
will. Help me to see the opportunities that allow me to witness to
others. Help me to identify the challenges that are ahead and
redirect my path when necessary so that I don’t miss the chance to
be Your hands and feet here on earth. I lift my hands to You O God.
For it is in giving myself to You that I make room in my new heart
for Your precious Spirit. All of this I pray in Jesus’ name.
Amen |