Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Come Holy Spirit Renew


Lisa Skaria
Staten Island MTC, NY
18 When they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh

I’ve never been to a spa before but many of my friends have. They always tell that before going in for their session that they are tense and stressed, but when they leave the session a refreshing feeling comes over them and it’s as if they are renewed. Now granted, I don’t desire to go to the spa anytime soon, but I can understand and relate to the feeling of refreshing and renewal of my mind and body.

Every Sunday is my “spa” time. When I go to church to sing and worship God I leave feeling refreshed and renewed. It’s my time to cry/pray/vent and just have a conversation with God. Sundays are mine to thank God for everything that he has blessed me with.

There are times in our life where we are so focused on the business of this world that we often forget to spend time with God and let us renew our hearts. In verse 18 when the God states that he will give the exiles an “undivided heart” that causes us to reflect on the word choice that the Sovereign Lord used.

When something is undivided it means that there in one thing, one thought, and one mind. Jesus wanted to give the people one heart that was solely focused on one God (that is God himself).

He goes on to explain that with this undivided heart God will create a “new spirit”. This new spirit can only be the work of the Holy Spirit. It is God’s work, but we must recognize to turn our lives away from sin and temptations that cause us to worship our other “gods”. When we do this God will give us new motives, guidelines and more importantly a new purpose. He will refresh and cleanse our spirits so that our lives will focus of his ways. Even though I haven’t been to a spa, going to church and being refreshed in my spirit sounds much better to me. 


PRAYER


Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Create in me a clean heart, oh God
And renew a right spirit within me
Cast me not away from Thy presence, oh Lord
Take not Thy holy spirit from me
Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation
And renew a right spirit within me
Amen
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Are we ready to receive a new and refreshed heart from God? 

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