Take Away My Heart of Stone and Give Me a Heart of Flesh

Take Away My Heart of Stone and Give Me a Heart of Flesh

It’s been almost three years since we sold our ranch. I’ll always have fond memories of our time there. Admittedly, our horses played an important role.  These large, beautiful animals entertained us with their playful antics and free spirits. Yet, they also demanded much time, training, money, and patience.  Surprisingly, it was in the horse barn that God showed me the meaning of the following phrase: Take Away My Heart of Stone and Give Me a Heart of Flesh.

“And I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you.   I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statues and be careful to obey my rules.”  Ezekiel 36:26-27

Granted, chores are a big part of ranch life. Shoveling manure is not my favorite chore. Yet, while I was pitching manure in a dirty and smelly horse stall, God revealed a startling picture of my sinful heart.

An Ugly Condition

When we bought our ranch in 2015, we immediately noticed that the horse stalls hadn’t been cleaned in quite some time.  Slowly, Steve and I worked at getting the stalls presentable for use.  But one walk-through shed was particularly overwhelming. The manure looked to be about a foot deep!  

Eventually I decided to tackle the shed. But I soon realized the manure had hardened over time, becoming impenetrable and heavy.  In desperation, I went to the barn and retrieved a shovel, pick, and ax, and started chipping away.  But even with these heavy-duty tools, progress was practically non-existent.  Furthermore, it was an extremely dirty job.  I was covered in a thin layer of unpleasant dust.  After an hour, I had only loosened a tiny section, measuring the size of a square foot.  The manure wouldn’t budge.  It had turned to stone!

Unable to make progress, Steve and I hired recruits.  A jack hammer was necessary for the job.  All said and done, over 3000 pounds of manure was hauled out of that small shed!

Sin Causes a Heart of Stone 

While standing in that manure pile, God unveiled a spiritual lesson.  My sin was producing a stubborn, petrified heart.  I was ignoring my sin and allowing it to pile up, just like horse manure.  With time, my calloused heart became harder and harder.  Pretty soon, I am totally desensitized to sin and just keep adding to my pile of poop.  

The solution is to quickly confess and turn from my sin.  However, even though I desire to change, a heart of stone is impossible to penetrate without the Holy Spirit.  Ezekiel 36:27 says, the Spirit is necessary for us to obey God and walk in His ways.

Take Away My Heart of Stone and Give Me a Heart of Flesh

After much time and frustration, the walk-through shed is finally clean and fit for use.  But of course, it doesn’t take long before it’s dirty.  I’m back to shoveling manure.  However, this time, it’s an easy chore. I’m dealing with it daily, while the manure is still fresh and soft.  In a few minutes, I’m done.

The same is true with my heart.  A Heart of Flesh is tender and responsive to God.  If I want a Heart of Flesh, I must keep short accounts. I must quickly seek forgiveness for my sins.  This gives me a clean heart and saves me time, heartache, and broken relationships.  Oh Lord, Take Away My Heart of Stone and Give Me a Heart of Flesh.

Prayer

Dear Lord, help me quickly recognize my sin, seek forgiveness, and restore my relationship with you and others.  Take Away My Heart of Stone and Give Me a Heart of Flesh.  

Questions to Consider:

1. How do you know when your heart is hardened?  What are the signs?
2. How has the Holy Spirit enabled you to have a Heart of Flesh?