27th June 2023
A new heart
A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you, and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 (NRSVUE)
I was born with a defect in my heart. This is not uncommon. It’s called a heart murmur, commonly. If the defect is not an “innocent” murmur, surgery may be required to repair or replace the valve. My first open-heart surgery was during Covid at age 61. Unfortunately, I needed a second surgery two weeks later! My talented surgeon has performed more than 2500 operations, and this was the first time he needed to do a second open-heart surgery. But the second surgery went well. Afterward, when the surgeon listened to my heart, he murmured, “Lovey dovey!” He was so pleased to hear no heart murmur.
My real heart issues are common to all humanity. We all need a new heart and Spirit within us. The Father’s heart is totally for us. The triune Creator knows we need his heart. Jesus is God’s heart given for us.
God’s heart-to-heart conversation with humanity is in and through Jesus—his eternal Word made flesh for us. It is the conversation in which the great exchange takes place, leading to a deep and meaningful conversion—real, transforming communion with our triune God.
We have new life in him, the resurrection life operating in our hearts and minds and eventually bodies, forever. New life is a once and for all heart transplant, which surely makes God murmur, “Lovely dovey!”
Prayer
Loving Father, we deeply thank you for our new life in your Son, Jesus, poured in us through your Holy Spirit. Our hearts forever joined to yours, may we rest more fully in your bosom. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Study by Bharat Naker
First published on 19 April 2023 in GCI Update Devotionals https://update.gci.org
About the writer:
Bharat Naker is the Pastor of the Grace Communion congregations in Carina and Logan, Queensland, Australia.
Local congregation:
You are welcome to attend one of our local church congregations located throughout the UK and Ireland. For details of your nearest local congregation, check on our website, www.gracecom.church under the ‘Churches’ tab, or ring +44 (0)1858 437099.
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