Today’s Theme for Prayer – God Desires to Forgive Me
Deeper Sense of His Mercy for Me
Ezek 11:17-21
Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, I will gather you from the nations and collect you from the lands through which you were scattered, so I can give you the land of Israel. They will enter it and remove all its atrocities and abominations. And I will give them another heart and a new spirit I will put within them. From their bodies I will remove the hearts of stone, and give them hearts of flesh, so that they walk according to my statutes, taking care to keep my ordinances. Thus they will be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their atrocities and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their heads—oracle of the Lord GOD.
Grace Prayed For
Pray for a new spirit: Ask for a renewed spirit, one that is aligned with God’s will and desires, filled with His love, joy, and peace.
God’s Gathering Love
This passage from Ezekiel speaks of God’s deep desire for intimacy with His people. It’s a beautiful picture of restoration and transformation, not just of a nation returning to its land, but of hearts turning back to their Creator.
Imagine being scattered, lost, far from home. This was the reality for the Israelites in exile. Yet, God doesn’t abandon them. He promises to gather and collect them, like a shepherd seeking out lost sheep. He longs to bring them back to the land He promised, a place of belonging and blessing.
But the restoration goes deeper than just a physical return. God desires to cleanse them from the “atrocities and abominations” they’ve clung to in their exile. These aren’t just external actions, but the inner idols that have taken His place in their hearts.
The most intimate part of this promise lies in the transformation of their hearts:
- “I will give them another heart and a new spirit I will put within them.” This speaks of a complete renewal, a divine surgery where the old, hardened heart is replaced with one that is soft, responsive, and alive to God’s presence.
- “From their bodies I will remove the hearts of stone, and give them hearts of flesh.” Stone is cold, unyielding, unable to feel or love. Flesh is warm, pliable, capable of deep emotion and connection. God desires a relationship with us that is vibrant and alive, not rigid and distant.
This transformation leads to obedience: “so that they walk according to my statutes, taking care to keep my ordinances.” True obedience flows from a heart that loves God, not from fear or obligation. It’s a natural response to His grace and the intimate knowledge of His goodness.
The result is a beautiful covenant relationship: “Thus they will be my people, and I will be their God.” This is the ultimate intimacy, a union of love and belonging. God desires to be our God, and He longs for us to be His people, wholly devoted to Him.
However, there’s a warning too: “But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their atrocities and abominations, I will bring their conduct down upon their heads.” This is a reminder that we have a choice. We can cling to our idols, our “atrocities and abominations,” or we can surrender to God’s transforming love.
This passage invites us to examine our own hearts. Are there areas where we’ve allowed “stone” to form, where we’ve become hardened or distant from God? Do we need Him to give us a new heart, a fresh start? Let’s respond to His invitation, allowing Him to remove the barriers that separate us and draw us into the intimate relationship He desires.
Growing in Intimacy with Jesus
Jesus is the source of the new heart: The passage speaks of God giving a new heart and spirit. This echoes Jesus’s own words about being “born again” (John 3:3). It’s recognizing that your own efforts are insufficient; you need a spiritual transformation that only Jesus can provide. This awareness deepens dependence on Him and opens you to His work within.
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post