Renewal

One of the themes of the prophet Ezekiel is renewal, and that’s one thing that summer is all about: renewal of body, heart, spirit, and relationships. Whether you travelled far or near or not at all this summer, I hope you feel renewed by these past few months and ready for the coming days and months.

Ezekiel’s prophecy is that God’s people will be given a new heart and a new spirit–from a spirit that has gone astray to a spirit that follows the Lord; from a heart that was set in stone to a heart of compassion for God’s people.

To be renewed in spirit is to refocus our attention on what it is that the Spirit of God is calling us to at this time of our life. It is to discern God’s will for us and to pursue that calling with energy and spirit.

When we encounter people who are difficult, it is up to us to exercise our renewed heart and our renewed spirit, and trust in the power of God to change their minds and hearts as well. It is God who saves. We are being invited to join the party.

“I will put my spirit within you and make you live by my statutes, careful to observe my decrees…You shall be my people, and I will be your God.” (Ezekiel 36:27-28)