Day 24 -
Scripture focus: For here's what I'm going to do: I'm going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land. I'll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean. I'll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I'll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that's God-willed, not self-willed. I'll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands. You'll once again live in the land I gave your ancestors. You'll be my people! I'll be your God! Ezekiel 36:24-28 (The Message)
"Talking of God using things in unexpected ways, I forgot to mention, about 4 months ago I took you up on your advice to get some daily exercise. God brought my way a chance to buy a powered treadmill from a gym (weighs more than a piano this thing) around the time I heard you speak about the value of exercise and, being quite sedentary (to say the least), I realized it was a thing I needed to pay some attention to."
This is good. He's paying attention. He's conscious.
"At first I could barely walk for 5 minutes and any attempt at running resulted in an anxiety attack since many of my health anxieties are to do with hyperventilating and lightheadedness. Now four months later I do 40 minutes a day six days per week. I can only run about 5 minutes max and then walk for 2 minutes and run another 5 minutes and so on but that has given me real confidence and I cover about 5KM (just over 3 miles) a day now running most of the way. Of course, if I am honest some days I hate it but I love it enough the other days to just keep pressing on with it."
Here's what I love about the story. He's giving us an example of the process of God making us able to do what he tells us and live by his commands. It's a process. This story would have been totally unappealing if he had said he started an exercise program and just won a marathon.
I love how some days he hates it, and he's honest about it.
When I took up jogging, my mother said the funniest thing. "Why do you want to do that?" She asked.
"Well, it's good for you. It keeps you fit. It's hard and I like a challenge." I replied.
She looked at me and responded, "All I know is that I've never seen a happy runner." End of story.
A new heart and new spirit don't come with a guarantee of perpetual happiness. That's okay. More on that point tomorrow.
Recommended reading: Acts 25-28
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