“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.” (Ezek. 36:2)
Gracious Father, thank you for the promise a new heart—a promise you fulfilled when you gave us the will, faith, and grace to trust Jesus. Our new heart beats for you now, but will only beat for you when Jesus returns. On that blessed Day, our new heart will become a perfected heart—a whole, holy heart, wholly yours and fully like Jesus. We cannot wait, but we must and will.
The image of a heart of stone being replaced with a heart of flesh isn’t a mere metaphor—it’s a Gospel miracle, gift, and our deep longing. Personally, I’ve bumped, yet again, into my need for some “new-heart cardiology care.” What does that look like for me?
Little things start irritating me quicker than it takes Gorilla-glue to set. Then I start seething longer than it takes oil paint to dry. I get loud with my silence, judgmental and insecure in my head, and busy planning a pity-party in honor of my self-righteousness. Abba, I am so thankful for your daily mercies and limitless grace…
For I want more of a kinder heart, a tender heart, a sweet-heart, a compassionate heart, a caring heart, a servant’s heart, a soft heart—the heart of Jesus. I want to live as a quick repenter and deep encourager—a builder-upper, an edifier… until the day you take me Home. For the only thing that counts, is faith expressing itself in love (Gal. 5:6). So Very Amen I pray, in Jesus’ tender and triumphant name.