Summer Feet - Part 2
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26
As I wrote last week's blog, “Summer Feet,” I realized there was more to ponder. When our hearts grow callous like summer feet, we need to give attention that we might feel again. We are very efficient at erecting fences around our hearts to keep them from being hurt again. But in the process of self-protecting, we can grow cold and hard hearted. Life pummels us with “new improved truth” but in reality it is not truth according to God at all.
So the question comes. How can I keep my heart tender before the Lord? I share a few practical practices that are helpful to me.
Quiet and Stillness - Carve out a quiet sacred space to be still with the Lord.
For the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel has said this, “In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved, In quietness and confident trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15
Gaze Upon Him - Pause and look upon the beauty of the Lord.
“One thing I have asked of the LORD; this is what I desire:
to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and seek Him in His temple.” Psalms 27:4
Pray - Invite God to tenderize your heart. Purify my heart O God.
“Create in me a clean heart, God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And sustain me with a willing spirit.” Psalms 51:10-12
Confession - Agree With God - Keep your heart open before the Lord in honesty. A tender heart says, “Yes Lord, I did it, I said it, I thought it. Forgive me. Forgive us.”
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
Read and Meditate on His Word - His word convicts of sin and brings healing to our hearts. His Word changes our desires and brings us back to truth. I find a revived love for God’s word as I regularly meditate on Psalms 119.
“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to your word.
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalms 119:9-11
Worship - Shifts the focus from me to Holy God.
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
Psalms 95:6-7
“Lord, we need a changed heart. We long for You to make our hearts tender and true before You. Bring our hearts in line with You and the truth of Your Word. Break our hearts with what breaks Yours. Give us prayers for a world in desperate need of your great love.”