“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”
“मैं तुम को नया मन दूंगा, और तुम्हारे भीतर नई आत्मा उत्पन्न करूंगा; और तुम्हारी देह में से पत्थर का हृदय निकाल कर तुम को मांस का हृदय दूंगा।”
- Ezekiel 36:26
The secret of genuine spiritual revival is the restoration of God’s presence in the lives of His people. Bible very strongly teaches us that revival involves a restoration, a rejuvenation, and a genuine renewal of interest after prolonged spiritual neglect, oblivion, or obscurity. It is a heartfelt return to God and His commandments. Revelation 3:15 tells us that God knows our deeds, that we are neither cold (spiritually invigorating or refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); God’s desire is that we should be either cold or hot. Sadly, this spiritual dullness towards God, is the sole reason why many families are completely broken and struggling. Just like Israel we too are guilty of profaning God’s name before the Gentiles due to our conduct which is contrary to the Word of God at times (Ezekiel 36:20–23). Our Almighty God promises to change us because He desires to sanctify and glorify His great name (Ezekiel 36:22) and this transformation God begins in us by changing us spiritually.
Firstly, God cleanses us from our sins. When believers confess their sins to the Lord, they are cleansed because of Christ’s blood (1 John 1:9). Secondly, God will give us a new heart, and this will be evident in our inward change towards God and His people too. Without this change, we can never enter our promised land which is Heaven. A “stony heart” is a hard heart, one that doesn’t receive God’s Word, rebels against God intentionally and has no desire to grow spiritually (Ezekiel 2:4; 3:7). A stony heart does not love others but rather hates them (Leviticus 19:17-18), does not forgive others (Luke 6:37, Colossians 3:13), and struggle to Obey God (James 1:22, Deuteronomy 11:26-28, 1 Peter 1:14). When the Lord has washed us (1 Corinthians 6:9–11), he gives all of us a new heart and His Holy Spirit within us, and because of this, we now hate sin, commune with God regularly and have a deep desire to do His will. Let us not blame others for our woes today due to our stony hearts. Let us ask God to give us a new heart that Loves God, Obeys Him and Love others. May God remove our stony hearts and give us a heart of Flesh today !!
“The condition of an enlightened mind is a surrendered heart… If a man in his heart is right with God, God will deal with the problem.” - Alan Redpath
