Ezekiel 36:16-36
When you think of the word heart, what do you think of? Maybe you think of the organ that pumps blood throughout the body. Or perhaps you think of that common heart shape we see all around us at Valentine's Day. Maybe, especially within the context of the Bible, we think of the heart as the most important part of us. The Bible often refers to a person’s heart--both in good and bad ways.
The heart plays an important role in Scripture. Throughout the Bible we can see how God renews and restores people’s hearts. When I think of Paul on the road to Damascus, I think of the dramatic heart change that took place within him. Maybe we think of Hannah who eagerly and desperately prayed for a child with all of her heart? She poured out the prayers of her heart, and when God answered them she exalted Him with her heart--her most inner self.
Maybe, we think of how Pharaoh's heart was hardened before the Lord. He had seen many signs and wonders of God, but his heart was hardened. Like stone.
But let's take it a step further. Where is your heart at? How do you think of your own heart? Is it producing the kind of good fruit that Jesus talks about in John 15 or the Fruit of the Spirit that Paul talks about in Galatians 5? Our hearts have the ability to produce both good fruit, but also bad fruit. Our hearts have the ability for both obedience and disobedience. We need to take a hard look at ourselves, and ask where our hearts are at. Do we have an obedient or disobedient heart?