Ezekiel 11:19 - "I will give them undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh."
I read this verse tonight I was doing the bible study, "No Other Gods" by Kelly Minter, that our women's bible study at church is doing. I found this verse refreshing because it is filled with hope, promise, and redemption. However, I also am finding myself saying "Really God? An undivided heart????" My heart feels far from undivided... This study has been really great, and I have identified a lot of idols that I've been holding on to. It's hard in our culture because I don't have to go burn down the golden calf or asherah poles... No, I have to purge the self-reliance, control, money obsessing, and many other things that I'm sure could match the number of Artemis statues floating around Ephesus, out of my heart.
It never ceases to amaze me, or baffle me, that God created us and allowed us to have freewill. He didn't just make us robots who do, act, and say, whatever He wanted. God gave us unique personalities, passions and desires to develop who we are and who he created us to be. He is gracious, is he not? Obnoxiously so. And I am ever so thankful that his grace and mercies are new every day, hour, second... He delights in my/our journey through these messy times, because they lead us to Him.
It never ceases to amaze me, or baffle me, that God created us and allowed us to have freewill. He didn't just make us robots who do, act, and say, whatever He wanted. God gave us unique personalities, passions and desires to develop who we are and who he created us to be. He is gracious, is he not? Obnoxiously so. And I am ever so thankful that his grace and mercies are new every day, hour, second... He delights in my/our journey through these messy times, because they lead us to Him.
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