Have you ever been driving and had a moment when you ask yourself, "How did I get here?"
I realize that may sound a little scary, but most people drive certain routes--to work, school or home--on autopilot. We are so familiar with these trips that we drive them in a semi-conscious awareness. When you think about it, that's pretty scary.
The autopilot approach impacts how many of us drive--but how else does it affect our lives? And more importantly, how we view--or even act--in sin?
In today's passage, God gives Ezekiel some prophetic visions of hard times for His people, but He also gives glimmers of hope--how He planned to help them change and overcome sin:
True, I sent you to the far country and scattered you through other lands.
All the same, I've provided you a temporary sanctuary
in the countries where you've gone.
I will gather you back
from those countries and lands
where you've been scattered
and give you back the land of Israel.
You'll come back and clean house,
throw out all the rotten images and obscene idols.
I'll give you a new heart.
I'll put a new spirit in you.
I'll cut out your stone heart
and replace it with a red-blooded, firm-muscled heart.
Then you'll obey my statutes
and be careful to obey my commands.
You'll be my people!
I'll be your God!
I love the way God gives so many word pictures to Ezekiel and to us. When we live in sin and are far from God, it's like we have stone hearts--or like we're driving on autopilot, unaware of the people, dangers and harm that we're causing to ourselves or others. Sometimes when we live in sin, we think we're being strong and independent--but we're not. A heart of stone isn't strong--it's a dead, lifeless heart.
When we allow our hearts and our lives to be transformed by God, He promises to give us "red-blooded, firm-muscled hearts." What does that really mean?
I think what God's describing is a strong-soft heart. That may sound like a contradiction, but hear me out. Muscle tissue is softer than stone--the heart in your body lives, beats and feels. Yet at the same time, God describes the heart He gives as "firm-muscled." I like that. It seems like He's saying that having a heart sensitive to sin is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. God gives people strong-soft hearts so that they passionately feel when they sin, love and live. People with strong-soft hearts are not boring, lifeless or wishy-washy nice: They're fiery, dynamic and contagious, yet they are not manic roller coasters of emotion.
Here's a question to think about: What does a strong-soft heart look like in real life?
I think part of the answer is living with a conscious conscience. It means living life with awareness and feeling--recognizing sin in your life and absolutely loving God and people deeply. That means that you'll be hurt, but it also means that you'll feel the love, joy and peace of God and people in your life--and that instead of missing or ignoring those amazing blessings, you'll treasure them with gratitude.
Today I pray that God will give you and I those strong-soft hearts--that we'll see people, sin and situations through His eyes. That we'll hurt when His heart hurts and love what He loves.
Tomorrow: Ezekiel 13-15
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