Change of Heart

I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 

Ezekiel 36:26

In the context of the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel, this is a glimpse forward. Ezekiel contains words spoken by God to a group of people who have been exiled. Not surprisingly, there is a great deal of uncertainty about their present and their future. God’s judgment is fresh on their minds. The evidence of the judgment is visible on a daily basis. Yet, God promises restoration; a better day. It is a multi-faceted transformation, which according to God includes a new heart and a new spirit.  According to God's promise, a heart of flesh will replace a heart of stone. An obedient spirit will replace a disobedient one. Think about the change and the future orientation of God’s promise. If I describe a person's heart as cold or hard, what am I saying? If I describe someone as having a soft heart, what do I mean? It's not difficult for me to shift to a personal application. On this day, is my heart open to God or closed? Is my spirit contrary or contrite? Appropriately, God’s transformational power is described as “inside-out”. It begins with a heart transplant and becomes operational in our daily lives. My obedience is the evidence.