15th Scripture Memory

In seeking God's direction for what word should become the next inhabitant of my mental battlefield, He reminded me of a passage from Ezekiel that I found on a fellow siesta's blog. It caught my attention initially because the author is the namesake of our oldest son, then because it speaks of something we all need--to be cleansed from worldliness and clothed with holiness, setting us apart for the work of the kingdom of God.

I included the NIV because that is the version that first piqued my curiosity, but I will memorize it in the CEV.


Ezekiel 36:25-27 (NIV)

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean;
I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;
I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit in you
and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”



Ezekiel 36:25-27 (Contemporary English Version)

I will sprinkle you with clean water, and you will be clean and acceptable to me. I will wash away everything that makes you unclean, and I will remove your disgusting idols. I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my laws and teachings.


I pray you have had many opportunities to be encouraged, encourage someone, or help someone know God's love more fully because of the Words you have been planting in your mind and heart. Don't quit! I know the enemy's been trying to slow me down lately, and there have been times when I have been slowed, but I will continue to persevere. If you feel like you've fallen behind or don't feel like you've tried as hard as you wanted to, take that as a lesson to learn from. Begin again, work harder today--don't feel like you need to "catch up," just recommit today. This race is not easy, but we have a God who is mighty to save us and who delights in our choosing Him!