A Heart Transplant

REFERENCE: Ezekiel 36:25-27 “Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.

Observation: Ezekiel is looking forward to the benefits Jesus will offer at salvation; our souls cleansed, a new heart (motivation) and spirit (relationship with God). When we come to Christ not only does He forgive our sins, He takes out our hard, stony, unresponsive heart and puts in one that wants to serve Him. He gives us the Holy Spirit that makes it possible for us to live right.

This is why it is so painful for a Christian to live in sin; everything inside of them resists it. They are deeply divided people. In our struggle against sin we need to recognize the resources that God has put right inside and draw our strength from them.

Application/Confession: Sometimes I feel, like Paul suggests in Romans, that sin is more powerful than I am. What I need to remember is that God has given me a new heart and a new spirit and I can look to those sources of strength to make all the difference.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to remember that I have a new heart and I have Your Spirit living in me. What else would I need to have the strength to live right?