“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” Ezekiel 36:26 NLT (Other translations say the heart of flesh)
“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
What happens when we become a Christian? We learn to love as Jesus did. We turn in our hardhearted hearts and start living a new life with a new heart. A heart of stone does not beat. It does not feel empathy, compassion, pity, or hope. It does not grieve or share. It never is vulnerable. It exists. It survives. Regrets? Very few regrets, I’m sure, but oh how big the void! The cost for a heart of flesh is great too but there’s a promise … Life and abundantly. This includes heartbreak and grief along with joy, happiness and peace. A full and abundant life has pain and joy. We turned in our hearts of stone for a tender one.
Musings
The Father gave us hearts to feel like His Son did and does. To celebrate like He does. To respond as He does. To forgive even when hurting. To give when empty. To hope when all seems lost. Jesus did this in His very short life on Earth and is our Perfect Example. Sometimes it seems too much! But to miss love is to miss the Father and all the grace and gifts of being His child.
Prayer
Dear Father,
Thank you for this new heart of flesh. It hurts sometimes, teaches always, and brings us closer to You and Your Son. When our tender heart is in pain, remind us of Jesus’ pain and the price he paid so we may be Your beloved Child.
In His name, Amen.
Prayers and Musings of a Black Sheep 