"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you." So says the Lord twice to the exiles in the book of Ezekial. The people have gone into exile "for their heart continually went after their idols" but the Lord has not abandoned them. He promises them restoration. This verse is very familiar to me but as I read through this book again after many years I saw this: "...make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!" I'm not sure how I missed this the first time but it has stood out now.
In 11:19 and in 36:26 He says that He will transform their hearts and spirit. In 18:31 He says that they are to transform their own hearts and spirits. God goes before and after and in the middle is our responsibility.
The context of the book is, "I shall bring their conduct down on their heads." But the context is also, "they will know that I am the Lord." That phrase is repeated over and over throughout the book. As He calls them to account on their idolatrous ways they will know that He is God. As He cleanses them of their rebellion they will know that He is God. As He restores and heals them they will know that He is the Lord. As He shows them compassion, mercy, love and His power, they will know that HE is LORD.
At times I forget that He is God. That He is Lord. My heart turns to other things. I don't think of them as idols, I don't believe at those times that I am abandoning God to go after idols, but I absolutely am. Anything I place above or before Him is an idol. Everything I fear or love more than Him is idolatry. As I read through Ezekial, I see how my sin breaks God's heart and I grieve. I realize how much I have become part of a culture that cares little for Him. I see that I daily live as god of my own life while still proclaiming to follow Him. I need to make for myself a new heart and a new spirit knowing that He goes before me and after and that my responsibility lies in the moment by moment decision to "know that I am the LORD."
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