“I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
Gracious Father, your promise of a hardness-gone, gentleness-full heart, has never been more enthralling to us. As your daughters and sons, you’ve already given us the promised “new heart,” in Ezekiel’s prophecy. That happened the very nanosecond you raised to new life in Jesus. Hallelujah, and thank you.
But our new hearts remain yet-to-be-perfected hearts. Until you glorify us, our hearts will need constant renewal and more grace—two things you generously give. Indeed, we long for the Day when our hearts will only beat for Jesus’ glory, love with his affection, and overflow with his joy. That’s not wishful thinking, but Gospel promise.
Well before Jesus returns or you bring us Home, Father would you bless us (and therefore those with whom we live) with a growing measure of kindness, tenderness, and gentleness? It’s neither cliché nor silly to say we want a sweet heart beating within our chests. Why crave anything less?
We want to live the rest of our days as encouragers and “builder-upper’s”—slow to react harshly and take things personally, and lightning-quick to believe the best about others. For, according to you, the only thing that counts, is “faith expressing itself in love” (Gal. 5:6). May it be increasingly so. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.