Heart Issues, Part 2

I am completely convinced that God desires to do a great work within us. We look for what He can do "through us and with us" but I believe that God is more concerned about what He desires to "do in us." We learn more about God and we learn more about ourselves when we submit to His work in our lives. Those moments can be enlightening as well as challenging as God examines our lives and reveals our areas of weakness as well as sins. But let us never forget the end product that results from that spiritual process taking place in our lives. Our lives are never the same and our lives more fully reflect the glory of God on our daily journey through life. 

I read some statements that former President George W. Bush and President Obama made at the Memorial service for the slain Police Officers in Dallas, Texas. I read these words after I had finished my blog post on Wednesday. I was both challenged, encouraged and reminded of those attitudes as well as attributes that has guided America and Americans for many years. I would like to share a portion of them with you.

President Bush: "Americans, I think, have a great advantage. To renew our unity, we only need to remember our values. We have never been held together by blood or background. We are bound by things of the spirit, by shared commitments to common ideals...At our best, we honor the image of God we see in one another. We recognize that we are brothers and sisters, sharing the same brief moment on Earth and owing each other the loyalty of our shared humanity."

President Obama, speaking at the memorial service, quoted Ezekiel 36:26: "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." Let me also share the insights of Jim Denison to this post. "The key to this "new heart" is found in the next verse: "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules" (v. 27). Human words cannot change human hearts. The One who made us is the only One who can change us."

I truly believe the change that America needs will begin in our hearts. But we face the challenge of thinking that it is everyone else but me who needs to change. What would happen if each of us made the commitment to surrender our lives to Christ? I truly desire to make that commitment to my Lord and Savior today!!!