Clean Water
How do we start fresh?
Verse of the Day
“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.”
Today’s Devotional
Happy New Year. Welcome to 2022.
If there is anything worth embracing as we start a new year, it’s the cleansing power of God. This passage from Ezekiel reminds me that any fresh start I have comes from Him. There are times when I decide to “will” myself into doing new things and creating healthier habits, especially at the turn of the calendar to a new year.
What would it look like if we decided to bring our hearts to God instead of deciding on certain resolutions? Don’t get me wrong. I think trying to create new habits and set goals is healthy and important. But how often do we invite God into the changes we want to make? I am guilty of deciding what I think needs to be changed, trying to make those changes, and never inviting God into the process at all.
Let’s do this year differently than that.
One of the things I notice from this passage is that God is sprinkling us with His cleansing water. He’s not using a fire hose. That means we need to be close to Him if we want the clean water to land on us. And even that, the daily decision to be close to God, I need His help with.
We won’t be successful if we decide to have a totally new heart this year. I don’t have the power to change my heart. I can’t get a new spirit from Amazon or any local retailer. I can’t remove my stubbornness and replace it with tenderness on my own. But God can.
I would like to invite you to join me in making a New Year’s resolution to lean in to God. I am going to be asking for His help with that for my life. Which, for me, looks like: “God, I want you to be my priority each day this year. But I’m going to need a lot of help with that. Life and my own desires get in the way. Please help me to make You and my relationship with You my number one priority. And if there are habits I need to embrace that will help with this, please help me to see those and to practice them. I need your help with all of it.”
I also notice from this passage that the Holy Spirit helps us to obey. What a gift. We have a Helper. Which is good, because my track record for doing things on my own is not something I’m proud of.
Whether you are still in “holiday” mode and haven’t thought about your plan for this new year or you’ve already got a list of resolutions, it’s never too late to invite God into the process. It’s never a bad time to make a relationship with God a priority. With His help, each day is an opportunity to ask for His help and take steps to be close to Him. Every day that we awake with breath in our lungs is an opportunity to ask God for a sprinkling of His cleansing water.
Journal Prompts
Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.
How would you rate your current relationship with God? The beginning of a new year is a great time to think about where you are and where you would like to be with His help.
How can you take a step closer to God today to receive His cleansing?
How can you invite God into your thoughts, plans, and goals for this year?
Are you able to identify any parts of your heart that are stubborn that you need to invite God to cleanse?
How can you follow the Spirit in obedience today?