During the early 1970s in Ghana, a poster titled "The Heart of Man" appeared on walls and public notice boards. In one picture, all kinds of reptiles - symbols of the vile and despicable - filled the heart-shaped painting with the head of a very unhappy man on top of it. In another image, the heart-shape was clean and serene with the head of a contented man. The caption beneath the images read: "What is the condition of your heart?"
In Matthew 15:18-19, Jesus explained what pollutes a person. "The things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts - murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander". That is the condition of a heart separated from God - the situation ancient Israelites found themselves in when their sins forced them into exile (Ezek. 36:23).
God's promise in Ezekiel 36:26 is beautiful: "I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart" (NLT; See also 11:19). God will take away our stubborn hearts that have been corrupted by all kinds of evil and give us a clean heart that is responsive to Him. Praise God for such a wonderful gift. For a new start, ask God for a new heart.
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