RTW August 18
The Sound Of Hope
And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations.
Ezekiel 11:19-20a
My Takeaways
Something Old
The Lord has so much hope. This will be the last time I will ever have to punish my people. Surely this will be it. Surely, I will not have to discipline them again.
- Singleness of heart
- A new spirit
- A tender, responsive heart
Something New
The entire story of the Glory of the Lord leaving the Temple is heart-breaking.
Something to Do
Keep today’s lesson in mind: The Lord has hope that things will be different after discipline.
Thanks Wendy about this lesson that gives a new meaning of the word hope and worshipping God and idolatry. I love the verse that God will give you a new heart and take away all the stubborn stony hearts and give them tender responsive hearts. It is also repeated in Ezekiel 36:26 that God gives you a new heart and new desires and takea away your stubborn heart filled with idols. My something to do is to get rid of all of my idols in my heart and not let my desires of my heart become idols and take the number place of my heart where God should always be my number one above anyone and anything. Let God clean my heart give me a new heart new desires and get rid of my stubborn heart of idols.
I absolutely loved this lesson. My key verses so were the same and what the Lord showed me was that I can tell what I am idolizing by the condition of my heart. I become what my idol is. And so when my heart is stony and stubborn this comes from living in anger and jealousy (2 of my idols). A tender responsive heart comes from living wrapped in the father’s love and living in obedience comes from a tender and responsive heart. One separates me from God, but not God from me. The other draws me closer to Him
I loved what you said, Wendy. How in our places of exile God wants to change our hearts. This is where I am right now as I am in a season of aloneness and desertion. Initially I railed against being here. Filled with anger at those who have left me, allowing hurt to draw me away from God. But this is the second time I’ve heard something like you said Wendy and when I first heard it it was like an arrow from heaven to my heart and I am now embracing this season which has led me back into His word and drawing me closer to His heart.
Mary, thank you for being vulnerable and sharing openly with us. I have prayed for you and continue to pray for you.
I, too, am in a season of waiting. I’ve struggled and asked why? so many times. But over time and with God’s help, I’ve “relaxed” more into my wait. Wendy and RTW have helped. As I look back, I have learned so much and grown spiritually. God has revealed more of His Word to me. I can finally begin to see a little positive in this difficult time of hurt and sadness.
Recently as we have studied and I’ve prayed about HOPE, two little bits of hope have been given to me in my situation – first bits of hope in a little over two years. I’m positive God has a hand in this. No, my wait is not over, but when God allows you to receive a glimpse of hope, you feel stronger and refreshed. It is a beautiful reminder that He is with us even during the most difficult times. He IS the Light in our darkness. Mary, I pray that you, too, can find hope to sustain you through your wait.
D Arena
My Takeaways: Open the Eyes of My Heart
Something Old: “The glory of the Lord went up from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east” (11:23).
How very sad todays reading was.The presence of God was moving away, God’s people were being judged – but at least when they were being judged they had God’s presence with them! But now God was leaving them! God was moving away. God was totally abandoning and leaving His people! Praise God, I have His Spirit living within me. By the blood of Christ, He has overcome my enslavement to sin and, through His power, I am able to obey His leadership, to understand His Word, to withstand the temptations of my flesh, and to do good works for His glory and the good of others. The power of God dwells in me. He has given me everything I need for life and godliness. All that is necessary for Him to work in my life is my availability. I am so grateful to be living on this side of the cross, after the coming of Christ. It saddened my heart when I read about God’s people so blatantly disobeying and ignoring His warnings. They didn’t even consider His will and ways. What a different time they lived in. The Spirit was not present within them, as He is in me. They had no one to help them overcome their sinful nature. No way to continue to hold on to and follow God’s laws. What hope I have today. God will never abandon me, his arms are opened wide to receive me just as I am.
Something New: I need to learn from Ezekiel. He had to go after the people, he had to bring them in contact with his vision. but even when he did go after them it didn’t open their eyes! -Ezekiel 12:2 “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refused to hear. For they are a rebellious people.” It is necessary for me to share the gospel, the word of God. It is necessary for me to live the word of God out – but even when Ezekiel did all that, and even if I do all that, it will never open ones eyes. People needed one heart, (chapter 11). They needed a new heart and spirit in them. That’s still what people need today – new hearts. Only God can give a new heart. Unless the Lord opens one’s heart all labor will be in vain. So what do I do? Do I sit around and wait until God opens peoples heart? No! I share the word. I live the word, and I pray relying on God – knowing that He is in the business of saving people. When I do my part and call on Him to do His part, the two will come together!
Something To Do: Share the word, live the word, and pray. Open the eyes of my heart.