A RENEWED HEART

And 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 ESV)

I've been reading through the Book Of Ezekiel in the Old Testament with a knowledge that this passage (Ezekiel 36) would be coming up in my reading, a passage about the heart. (Something of interest to me right now).

A quick Google search will bring up dozens and dozens of references to the heart, the very core of our being.  There are some organs that I can do without but without the heart I cease to live.

The Hebrew prophet Ezekiel was a captive in the land of Babylon during the seventy years of exile of Israel. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried him away when the nation was taken captive.

In his visions -  he sees the terrible destruction of his homeland Israel as a result of their sinful behavior.

He preaches repentance.  They were in exile but had not yet had a change of heart.  They hadn't repented of their sinfulness and rebellion.

Yet, in the midst of all their trouble, Ezekiel sees hope.  He begins to paint a picture of not just where they were but where they would eventually end up being.

He reminded the people that God promised to return them to their land.

I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. (‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭24‬ ESV)

This was a promise that God would restore what the enemy had taken away - even as a result of their own sinfulness and rebellion.

But that would not be the only thing God would do for them.  God promised to cleanse them from their filthiness.  Notice the progression of scriptures from this text..

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. (‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭25‬ ESV)

When we're cleansed from our sins - it then makes room for the Holy Spirit to come in and dwell with us - to refresh us and restore - Ezekiel 36:26-28.

And 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. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. (‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭26-28‬ ESV)

A "new heart" and "new spirit" is the promise of spiritual regeneration.

It's interesting - there are twenty-five references to the Holy Spirit in the book of Ezekiel. A new heart and a new spirit are themes Ezekiel reflects on several times.

The Holy Spirit dwelling in the heart of the believer will "cause you to walk in My statutes and you will be careful to observe My ordinances" (v. 27).

What Moses law could not do God does through His "Spirit within you." His dwelling within enables the "new heart." The heart of stone has been removed and replaced with a "new heart" and "a new spirit."

Only the sovereign grace of God can do that. As the believer yields to the Holy Spirit He enables us to "walk" in the statutes of God and carefully observe His "ordinances." The holy life is an exchanged life.

One of the most intriguing ideas is the people will return to the land and live in it permanently. The meaning is to "live" or dwell as permanent residents and is the opposite of the non-immigrant or alien. "You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God" (v. 28).

This was an utter impossibility.  It could, wouldn't happen.  It would take a miracle.  It was only possible by God's intervention.

It is no different to the impossible situation you are facing right now.  It might be that you've set your course and don't see the need to make any changes in your life.

Take it from me, from my bloody nose from hitting the wall a few times, God's ways are always best and if you don't turn and repent - God knows how to take you off the grid for a while.

However, repentance brings a cleansing and forgiveness which leads to a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Observe the result of giving your situation to God...

And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. (‭Ezekiel‬ ‭36‬:‭29-30‬ ESV)

Wow.  Talk about renewal.  This is renewal on steroids.  God's gracious favor will once again come into your life.

God instructs the grain to produce and the crops to yield abundantly.

The LORD God will also restore the land to better than the original. It will be like the Garden of Eden before sin invaded it.

No matter what you are going through in your - there is a better way and place ahead if you turn and trust God's sovereign plan and purpose for your life.

Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. (‭Psalm‬ ‭24‬:‭3-5‬ ESV)