Have you ever known in your head something to be true, but had a hard time getting your heart to agree? For me, this happens regularly... I know the right thing is to forgive, but I have a hard time softening my heart to actually do it. I know God has a good plan for my life, but my heart often wants step-by-step instructions or a guarantee of a certain outcome. I know my everyday work matters, but my heart longs for assurance that what I do is important, or I’m not wasting my time. Without God and His truth, the human heart is hard, distrusting, rebellious, and anxious. It’s our natural, fallen bent away from the Lord, and listening to it alone often leaves us without peace. The Old Testament prophet, Ezekiel, brings hope to the nation of Israel while in exile, proclaiming that one day God himself will remove their heart of stone and give them a new heart, one of flesh, and a new spirit, one of obedience. At the time, God’s people were in a state of rebellion. They had forgotten the Lord and were being punished for their sins. But in the midst of judgement, there was hope on the horizon that God would intervene. It was promised that one day the Lord would help His people be free from their hardheartedness and instead walk in devotion to Him. Centuries later, shortly before Jesus went to the cross, He told the disciples about the advocate that was
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