幾年前，我跟洛娟發生了激烈的爭吵，過後我們透過對彼此的愛和體諒，化解了衝突。我坦承自己犯了錯，她則為我禱告。她引用了以西結書36章26節裡上帝的話：「我也要賜給你們一個新心，將新靈放在你們裡面，又從你們的肉體中除掉石心，賜給你們肉心。」那時候，我可以感覺到上帝正在我身上進行一種屬靈的換心手術，祂用祂的愛環繞我，除去我內心的懼怕與怨憤。

上帝喜悅我們遵行祂的話語，就像我那個時候一樣，但重要的是要注意這段經文的背景與脈絡。當時，上帝透過以西結向祂的子民說話，應許祂將會潔淨他們。為什麼呢？上帝說：「我行這事不是為你們，乃是為我的聖名」（22節）。上帝會在祂的子民當中進行潔淨的工作，使所有的國家都敬畏祂，知道祂是上帝。

上帝在你我的生命中成就祂的旨意，不僅是要讓我們成長茁壯，也是要讓我們能夠榮耀祂的名。正如上帝應許以色列民賜給他們新心與新靈一樣，祂也會藉著聖靈在你我心裡做工，將我們冷漠堅硬的心，換成一顆新的心，能夠接受並與人分享祂的愛與生命。

Some years ago, after exchanging heated words, Carolyn and I resolved our conflict through compassion and love for each other. I confessed my wrongdoing, and she prayed for me, referencing Ezekiel 36:26: “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.” I sensed that God was conducting a form of spiritual heart surgery on me, taking away my fears and bitterness as He enfolded me in His love.

God delights for us to engage with the Scriptures as I did back then, but it’s important to note the passage’s original context. Ezekiel spoke on God’s behalf to His people with the promise that He would cleanse them. Why? “It is not for your sake . . . I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name” (v. 22). God would do His purifying work among His people so that all the nations would revere Him and know that He is God.

God works His purposes in our lives not only to help us flourish and grow, but so we would bring Him honor. Even as He gave the Israelites the promise of a new heart and a new spirit, so through the inward work of the Holy Spirit, God replaces our cold and hardened hearts with those that receive and share His love and life.