Singleness of heart ...

I think I have mentioned before, I am not a really keen reader of Ezekiel, he looses me in all the imagery. Yet one of the things I have been attempting by the discipline of following all of the readings from the Life Journal for each day, is not merely to gloss over or neglect to read certain passages because i don't think there is anything in them, rather to take the time and read them anyway. Read with an open mind and always with the thinking, "what is it God might want to reveal to me, say to me, have me do, from this passage?"

Here is the "something" I picked up today:

Ezekiel 11:18-20 (New Living Translation)

18 “When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. 19 And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, 20 so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.

Ezekiel 11:18-20 (The Message)

I will gather you back from those countries and lands where you've been scattered and give you back the land of Israel. You'll come back and clean house, throw out all the rotten images and obscene idols. I'll give you a new heart. I'll put a new spirit in you. I'll cut out your stone heart and replace it with a red-blooded, firm-muscled heart. Then you'll obey my statutes and be careful to obey my commands. You'll be my people! I'll be your God!

As I read from the New living Translation it was that element of having a singleness of heart. To this point we read of a people all over the place in relation to their worship and what was important to them. Certainly God was out of the picture, they had many gods. And as you might imagine, God was not at all happy. So to have a singleness of heart, one focused, God focused, tuned in on Him again, this is important and a big move for these people.

Then to read it from The Message translation, well you will know by now I love looking at the way Eugene Peterson captures it. The picture to me is of a heart transplant and God appears to me to be the donor as well as the surgeon. it is healthy. It is alive. It is vigorous.

Finally, You'll be my people! I'll be your God!

Absolutely nothing better!. this reflects the father's heart, it is what He desires all the way through the Scriptures from beginning to end.

It's what I want! I hope it is what you want too!