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FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: A TENDER HEART…

by | Jan 27, 2012 | AGING, GOSPEL OF GRACE | 8 comments

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Heart Rock

Tender-hearted

We tend to start out that way.

 

Then we get jostled by life.

Our hearts develop callouses…

Here and there.

Each represents the pain of being rubbed the wrong way.

 

People we thought were friends

ridiculed, laughed.

They weren’t laughing with us!

 

As we grew, our hearts toughened.

“Don’t be so sensitive.”

We tried not to cry in front of them.

 

We grew older still.

We didn’t want to cry.  It seemed so weak.

 

As time went on, our hearts became harder

Our skin became thinner.

stop

 

GOD, I need the heart of flesh you promised.  

I realize my calloused heart has become a rock!

Only YOU can make me tender in the right ways.  

Only you can make me bold at the right times.

At times, I want revenge…for all those times of ridicule…times of being left out.

But none of that compares to what I have done to you GOD.

I have profaned the Holiness of your Name, just as your people did.

Please replace the rock of a heart I have.  Give me a new, tender heart.

One that is tender toward YOU and toward your people.

One that brings glory to your Holy Name!

AMEN.

  “Therefore say to the house of Israel,
Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act,
but for the sake of my holy name,
which you have profaned among the nations to which you came.
And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name,
which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them.
And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD,
when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes….
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses,
and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you.
And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
And I will put my Spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”
Ezekiel 36: 22-23; 25-27.

 

Five Minute Friday:  What is it?  An opportunity for us to write for 5 minutes unedited.  That’s it!
Who started it?  Gypsy Mama
Any other rules?  Yes.  Stop at the link on her site ahead of yours and make a comment on that person’s entry…and encouraging one!
So stop by Gypsy Mama and take a look at some of the other sites who linked there for their takes on Tender.

 

 

Related posts:

  1. FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: GRATEFUL FROM THE HEART!…
  2. FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: HEART-ACHE…
  3. FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY: REMEMBER HIS MERCIES…
  4. WHAT KIND OF HEART DO YOU HAVE?…

8 Comments

  1. Beck Gambill
    Beck Gambill on 02/01/2012 at 8:10 AM

    Martha, what powerful words! I love the picture you paint of the effect life has on our hearts, hardening them into immovable rocks. God is so gracious to give us new hearts that beat in rhythm with his! Thanks for stopping by my blog this week.

    • Martha
      Martha on 02/01/2012 at 12:48 PM

      thanks for dropping by beck…and leaving your kind words behind. i love your photos and words that i find on your blog. so beautiful and expressive:)

  2. Elizabeth
    Elizabeth on 01/28/2012 at 11:46 AM

    I can identify with the comparison of a heart turning into stone as time goes by. A beautiful wake up call to submit that heart of stone to the Lord so that He can make it once again a heart of flesh.

    • martha brady
      martha brady on 01/28/2012 at 1:51 PM

      Thanks for stopping by elizabeth:) i tho’t of that scripture when the word “tender” came up. seems that our natural bent is toward hardness of heart isn’t it? another sign we need God’s grace to soften it…really to give us a new heart!

  3. Katie
    Katie on 01/27/2012 at 8:17 PM

    These were exactly the words I needed to hear today. Thank you for opening yourself up and letting God speak through you. 🙂 Beautiful writing, and a wonderful passage from the Bible. I greatly enjoyed reading your post.

    • Martha
      Martha on 01/27/2012 at 9:06 PM

      thanks for stopping by katie. glad the words were helpful. this seems to be an area God is fingering lately for me.

  4. Javamama
    Javamama on 01/27/2012 at 7:53 PM

    Oh my, this is wonderful…it speaks to me in ways I wish it didn’t. So true how this world toughens us and strips away the tenderness. I love your writing today!

    • Martha
      Martha on 01/27/2012 at 9:05 PM

      thanks javamama. i always get surprised to see where these 5 minute fridays go! things pop up that i didn’t realize were there. this week, i can figure out how that happened from something i heard on wed. PM, but just the same…i look forward to reading your post…after i make a few comments here:)