“God hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things, and sure.
This is all my salvation, and all my desire.”
2 Samuel 23:5
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You have bought me
You have sought me
You have caught me
You have brought me
You have taught me
Today, by the power of your will and grace, make everything in my life YOUR OWN.
In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
“I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint;
My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me.”
Psalm 22:14
As I have struggled these past two weeks to discipline myself to do all that I need to do—not what I want to do—the thought came that God, our Father knows what we need, for all that He plans for us to do.
From revelation to repentance He is willing and able to work in us this “great salvation.” He knows how to preserve His own, to work through us all that is needed to sanctify us and make us willing citizens of His kingdom—members of the “household of faith”—servants of the living God.
If it means that He must bring us to a melting point, so that we are not only pliable in His hands, but unable to do what we want to do. Then is when He can use us.
I imagined what this would be like for me; totally beyond my doing anything on my own—everything under the power of His mercy and grace, being used to fulfill the “counsel of His will.” It would seem that I would be useless; but not useless in His hands.
What can you do with a piece of ice? It is too cold to hold in your bare hands. If you drop it it will shatter into lots of pieces. All you can is wipe up the mess. Take the ice cube and put it into a liquid and it will be melted and eventually become a part of that liquid. In God’s hands of love we are melted. When God’s Spirit melts a cold heart He can do whatever He wants with it and then pour it out on His altar as a living sacrifice.
In Richard and Joseph Alleine’s book Heaven Opened ~ the Riches of God Covenant this “great salvation” through the covenant of grace is explained. It is all in God’s hands. Our hearts are in His hands, to reveal Himself, to bring new life, to turn us to faith and repentance, to reconcile us to Himself in Christ; to conform us to His image. Through His Word, and His Spirit, He continues to transform us by the renewing of our minds, sanctifying and preserving us through our struggles and our sufferings, and service in His kingdom.
“A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”
Ezekiel 36:26
A Heart to Know Him
“I will give them a heart to know Me.” Jeremiah 24:7
One Heart
“I will give them one heart.” Ezekiel 11:19
A Heart of Flesh
“I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
“Flesh will bleed. A soft heart will mourn, melt, and grieve while nothing moves a hard heart. Flesh will yield. It is apt to receive impressions. The power of God will awe it. His justice will alarm it. His mercy will melt it, and His holiness will humble it and leave the stamp and image of it upon it. And as the attributes do, so the Word and works of God will make a sign upon it.”*
A Heart to Love the Lord
“The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God, with all thine heart, and with all thine soul.” Deuteronomy 30:6
A Heart to Fear the Lord
“I will put My fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from Me.” Jeremiah 32:40
Obedience in the Covenant
“I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statues, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them.” Ezekiel 36:27
Perseverance in the Covenant
“I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good…” Jeremiah 32:40
“There are two things secured to believers in this passage—things which secure their perseverance. The first is that God will not depart from them. The second is that they shall not depart from Him.”*
Thank you Father, that you have poured out your whole heart and soul to us in your Son, Jesus Christ. We praise you that you are exceeding abundantly able to do more than we can ask or imagine to accomplish all for which you created and redeemed us. Melt us and pour us out today as a living sacrifice for you and your people.
* Heaven Opened ~ The Riches of God’s Covenant by Richard Alleine, published by Sola Deo Publications
God's Grace ~ God's Glory! 