June 13, 2022

Passage Read: Ezekiel 36-39
Meditation Verse: 36:32

Thought

The Lord promises to return Israel from exile and give them a heart of flesh to obey His commands and statutes. But He assures them that He is not doing it for their sake, as if they have done something worthwhile, worthy of His salvation. They have done nothing but rebel and bring disgrace to His name! He is bringing them back to their land and changing their hearts for the sake of His name, that it would be honored and glorified. The people should recognize that they're not worthy, and they should be ashamed of their evil deeds that brought Him grief and shame!

Application

The right response to God's goodness and salvation is gratitude, but also shame and grief over our sins, over my sins which forced His hand to become one of us and suffer and die as payment for my sins. I should be grateful, but also very aware of my evil deeds and ashamed of them. It is not for my sake that Jesus suffered and died and rose again, but for the sake of His holy name, that He would get glory for what He did to bring us to Himself and to change our hearts from hearts that continually go astray to hearts that walk in His ways. His salvation should make me hate my sin and drive me all the more to renounce my evil ways.