Passage of the Day:
“‘For I will take you out of the nations; I will gather you from all the countries and bring you back into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28 Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. 30 I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the field, so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famine,” Ezekiel 36:24-30.
Reflection:
The Book of Ezekiel was written during Israel’s Babylonian captivity sometime between 593 and 565 B.C. Therefore, when you read the words of today’s featured passage, Ezekiel is providing a glimpse into God’s future for the nation of Israel. While the present was extremely painful living in exile, Ezekiel’s prayer is that you will be given a new heart and spirit. Whenever you find yourself struggling to get through a specific day, week or month, maintaining any type of joy or passion is tough. As you fight through these trials with all you’re might, pursue a passionate heart so you are able to see the pain inside of others in your spheres of influence.
Prayerful Action:
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me, Psalm 51:10-12.
Working Out Your Salvation:
As a former coach, I am reminded of Jesus’ words in the Garden of Gethsemane: “the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” You can go to church, attend a weekly Bible Study and pray every day, but willing your body to do and say the right thing isn’t easy. Meanwhile, if the mouth speaks out of the overflow of your heart, Luke 6:45, pursuing a passionate heart takes time. In fact, you may have to work harder than athletes preparing for a new season. This is where having an accountability partner or a friend you can confide in will help you along the way. If you believe God has prepared in advance special plans for your life, Philippians 1:6, keep drawing closer to the Lord until you bear spiritual fruit.
Song of the Day:
Sometime developing a passionate heart for God begins with worship. As you listen to the lyrics of How He Loves, may you conceive a passion to pursue the Lord in all of your life.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 