Part 3 (1/2)

14. Fourteenth Day.

The New Heart.

”A new heart also will I give you.”--Ezek. x.x.xvi. 26.

Why does G.o.d promise this? Because our old hearts are so evil that they can not be made any better; and so nothing will do any good but giving us a quite new heart.

Because we can not make a new heart for ourselves; the more we try, the more we shall find we can not do it; so G.o.d, in His great pity and kindness, says He will give it us.

Because unless we have a new heart we can not enter the kingdom of G.o.d, we can not even see it! Without this gift we must be left outside in the terrible darkness when ”the door is shut.”

What is the difference? The old heart _likes_ to be naughty in some way or other; either it likes to be idle, or it likes to let out sharp words, or to go on being sulky or fretful instead of clearing up and saying, ”I am sorry!” The new heart _wants_ to be good; and is grieved when a temptation comes, and does not wish to yield to it; and would like to be always pleasing the Saviour.

The old heart is afraid of G.o.d, and does not love Him, and would much rather He were not always seeing us. And it does not care to hear about Jesus, but would rather be just let alone. The new heart loves G.o.d and trusts what He says, and likes to know that He is always watching it. And it is glad to hear about Jesus, and wants to come closer to Him.

The old heart is a little slave of Satan, taking his orders, and doing what he wishes. The new heart is a happy little servant of Christ, listening to His orders, and doing what He wishes.

Oh how happy and blessed to have this new heart! All G.o.d's own children receive it, for He has said, ”I will give them one heart;” that is, all the same new heart. Do you not want to have it too? Then ”ask, and you _shall_ receive;” for He hath said, ”A new heart also _will_ I give you!”

”Oh for a heart to praise my G.o.d, A heart from sin set free!

A heart that always feels Thy blood, So freely shed for me.

”A heart resigned, submissive, meek, My dear Redeemer's throne; Where only Christ is heard to speak, Where Jesus reigns alone.”

15. Fifteenth Day.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit.

”I will put my Spirit within you.”--Ezek. x.x.xvi. 27.

Many years ago a good clergyman wrote a tiny prayer, so short that no one could help remembering it if they once heard it. G.o.d seemed to set that little prayer ”upon wheels,” so that it might run everywhere. It was printed on large cards and hung up, and it was printed on small ones and kept in Bibles and pocket-books. It was taught to cla.s.ses and schools and whole congregations, and now thousands upon thousands pray it constantly.

It is a prayer which must be heard, because it asks for what G.o.d has promised to give; and it asks for this through Him whom the Father heareth always. It is this: ”O G.o.d, give me Thy Holy Spirit, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.” Will you not pray it too? Begin this morning, and go on, not just _saying_ it, but _praying_ it, till you get a full answer. For you are quite sure to get it; here is G.o.d's own promise, ”I _will_ put my Spirit within you;” and He has promised it over and over again in other places. Perhaps you will not know at first when the answer comes. Can you see the dew fall? No one ever saw a single drop come down, and yet as soon as the sun rises, you see that it has come, and is sparkling all over the fields. It came long before you saw it, falling sweetly and silently in the twilight and in the dark. So do not fancy G.o.d is not hearing you because you have not felt anything very sudden and wonderful. He is hearing and answering all the time. You would not go on asking unless the dew of His Spirit were already falling upon your heart, and teaching you to pray. The more He gives you of His blessed Spirit, the more you will ask for; and the more you ask, the more He will give.

”Thou gift of Jesus, now descend, And be my Comforter and Friend; O Holy Spirit, fill my heart, That I from Christ may ne'er depart!

”Show me my soul all black within, And cleanse and keep me pure within; Oh, show me Jesus! let me rest My heart upon His loving breast!”

16. Sixteenth Day.