 | It is that time of year again, where most of us make those New Year resolutions. In just a few short weeks, almost every one will be broken, and the cycle continues. No matter how noble the cause, or how just the motive may seem to be; as a whole most of us just cannot keep the promises and goals we set for ourselves for the new year (or any other time for that matter). Pastor Ellery shared from Ezekiel 36:16-32 which shows us that even the chosen people of God in the Old Testament could not keep their promises - just like us now - and the lengths God will go through for the ones He loves. The Bible pulls no punches when it comes to our defilement. From broken promises and lying to adulterous thoughts and actions, killing, hating, strife, gossiping, there seems to be no end to the different ways we act up or act out. We tend to think that some form of punishment can help us keep on the straight and narrow, [even though] that never works in the long run. |
Just as an errant child does good for a bit after receiving some form of punishment and then reverts back to his or her inappropriate behavior, before long we are all back to pilfering the cookie jar as it were. It never sticks.
But what we see in the text is that despite the abhorrent antics of God’s people, God decides to act on their behalf for the sake of His name. He chose to gather them from where He scattered them; He cleansed them from their filth; He chose to give them new spirits and hearts of flesh instead of stony hearts so they would be able to follow and obey Him. It is not recorded that they asked Him to be clean, no scripture is referenced here that they called out for His mercy in their time of dire need. He did this solely of His own will in order that His holiness would be vindicated and His name would be glorified among the nations.
But what we see in the text is that despite the abhorrent antics of God’s people, God decides to act on their behalf for the sake of His name. He chose to gather them from where He scattered them; He cleansed them from their filth; He chose to give them new spirits and hearts of flesh instead of stony hearts so they would be able to follow and obey Him. It is not recorded that they asked Him to be clean, no scripture is referenced here that they called out for His mercy in their time of dire need. He did this solely of His own will in order that His holiness would be vindicated and His name would be glorified among the nations.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will place My Spirit within you and cause you to follow My statutes and carefully observe My ordinances. - Ezekiel 36:26-27
God has done the same for us all when He chose to take on flesh and blood and live the sinless life for us that we never could. Jesus was the only One who could pay the permanent price for our sin. We are credited the righteous perfection of His sinless life simply by believing He died for our sins and rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25). The grace and mercy we have been offered from God is never contingent upon any deed we could accomplish. God initiated the entire plan of salvation before creation as if it had already been done. It does not require any input, assistance, or even permission from us. The Father made the resolution for us in Christ. He provided everything we needed to be rescued for His glory. His resolutions never fail, His words never go unfulfilled. So when we make those resolutions this year, let us be thankful that God’s resolutions He has spoken about us will always come to pass.
John Clark
John Clark is a husband to Julie, a father of one son living in Valrico, Florida. He has an Associate Degree of Theology from Life Christian University, and serves at Life Center of Brandon where he is a teacher and writer.