Ezekiel 18:31-32

"Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."
Ezekiel 18:31-32


I like this chapter.  It is a good read, if you have a chance to take it in today. :)  Earlier in the chapter God asks, somewhat rhetorically, whether he has pleasure in the death of the wicked instead of the wicked returning to him... but here, even though the answer was clear, he answers it for us anyway, making it ever so much more clear, even when we are doubtful. :)  He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but in life... he wants us to live, and not to be destroyed.  He also makes it clear that it is our choice.  Life or death... and the images of newness and rebirth.  Sometimes we despair of change, thinking that we don't have it in us.  But God tells us to make ourselves new hearts and new spirits... that we have the power to do so, and to choose life, no matter what has gone before.  We can cast away our transgressions and start again.  God wants us to choose life... and he makes it possible.  The trick, I suppose, is seeing clearly that our choice is between life and death... anything that leads us away from God is leading us to death, as plainly as the sun shines.  Today, let's make ourselves some new hearts and spirits and cast our transgressions far away.