Read Ezekiel 36:26
When God promises to give us a heart of flesh, He means a heart that is soft, tender, and responsive to Him. A tender heart feels the weight of sin—even small wrong thoughts or selfish desires stir it to repentance. Unlike a hard heart that ignores sin, a heart of flesh grieves when it hurts God’s love and longs to stay close to Him.
This new heart is also tender toward God’s will. Our natural will is stubborn, like iron that resists shaping. But when God renews our heart, our will becomes soft, like clay in the hands of the potter, easily shaped by His Spirit. Such a heart doesn’t resist but yields, saying, “Lord, not my will, but Yours be done.”
And most of all, a heart of flesh is full of love. A hard heart is cold, selfish, and indifferent toward Christ. But a new heart burns with love for Jesus and longs to love Him more. This is the heart where God’s Spirit lives, where Christ is welcomed, and where spiritual fruit can grow.
A tender, renewed heart is our best protection against sin and our best preparation for heaven. It keeps us watching and waiting for Christ’s return. The question is: Do you have this new heart? If not, ask God, for He delights to give it.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your promise to give me a new heart. Take away every hardness in me, and make my heart soft and tender toward You. Teach me to grieve over sin, to obey Your will with joy, and to love You deeply. Let my life bear fruit that honors You, and prepare me daily for the coming of Jesus. Create in me a heart that truly belongs to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Bp. Paul Solomon Maglaya
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