To Be Least
"For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest." (Luke 9:48)Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Calloused Hearts
I was there. A young teacher of the law, I stood in the beautiful garden of Gethsemane that Passover night. Amid the flickering torches and the whispering voices I saw him. Jesus, the man who claimed to be the Son of God, was standing with his disciples, not fleeing from the scene or even defending himself. He just stood still, waiting what was too come. Somewhere next to me in the silence of the night, a voice was heard.
"The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him."
Through the shadow of the night, I saw the kiss and the scramble that ensued. In the midst of the chaos, an ear sliced open and a healing followed. Yet, my heart was so hard that no miracle could break its calloused shell.
That was many years ago. I always wondered why my heart was so hard during those years. How could have I not heard that powerful shout of God for my attention?
It was only after my miraculous conversion did the answer come to me. I was reading in the book of Ezekiel when I came across this verse. "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." (Ezekiel 36:26)
Before we knew Christ, our hearts were captive to sin. Our continual acts of sin caused our hearts to become hard and calloused. I was dying of this condition before Christ saved me. It is only by His Spirit that my hard heart became one of flesh.
I thank God for this blessing.
"The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him."
Through the shadow of the night, I saw the kiss and the scramble that ensued. In the midst of the chaos, an ear sliced open and a healing followed. Yet, my heart was so hard that no miracle could break its calloused shell.
That was many years ago. I always wondered why my heart was so hard during those years. How could have I not heard that powerful shout of God for my attention?
It was only after my miraculous conversion did the answer come to me. I was reading in the book of Ezekiel when I came across this verse. "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." (Ezekiel 36:26)
Before we knew Christ, our hearts were captive to sin. Our continual acts of sin caused our hearts to become hard and calloused. I was dying of this condition before Christ saved me. It is only by His Spirit that my hard heart became one of flesh.
I thank God for this blessing.
Comments:
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I've begun to pray for a new heart daily, because even throughout the course of the day, one's heart can becomed calloused to sin. The sad thing is that many a Christian has a calloused heart and does not even know it.
You have SUCH a talent in writing. That is God-given dude and if you ever give it up... well, you'd better never give it up!
Before I knew Christ I was exactly like you. Well, we are were. And even now sometimes we fall back into that hole and start digging because someone told us there's treasure down there. Turn your head and keep your eyes pasted to Jesus
Before I knew Christ I was exactly like you. Well, we are were. And even now sometimes we fall back into that hole and start digging because someone told us there's treasure down there. Turn your head and keep your eyes pasted to Jesus
Mike,
First let me say that I appreciate your writing so much. It has been so valuable to me in the past few days. Thank you for sharing this we us.
Thank you also for your comments on my blog space. I appreciate your visits and encouragement.
I am always amazed how the Spirit of God speaks to His church universally. We had a discussion about this in our cell group last night. I really enjoyed the unique point of view.
God bless!
First let me say that I appreciate your writing so much. It has been so valuable to me in the past few days. Thank you for sharing this we us.
Thank you also for your comments on my blog space. I appreciate your visits and encouragement.
I am always amazed how the Spirit of God speaks to His church universally. We had a discussion about this in our cell group last night. I really enjoyed the unique point of view.
God bless!
I love the verse you quoted. I need to remember that God has given me a completely new heart. This heart wants Him and longs for holiness. The old one didn't. Sometimes my flesh still is that lost old pharisee with the law, sometimes it is the one the pharisee is pointing his condemning finger towards . . . but deep inside, the real me with the new heart is alway simply His child, longing for more of Him.
Good post. thanks
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Good post. thanks
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