Allow God to Pray Over You

~~~ Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Matthew 19:13-15 ~~~

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

The prophet Ezekiel gives us a lengthy, detailed list of the things

God does not want us to do.

This list is mirrored through the commandments.

In reading this list we are encouraged to lead an exemplary life.

We are encouraged to live a virtuous life.

"...If a man is virtuous—if he does what is right and just..."

To be virtuous you are honest, caring, fair, compassionate,

faithful, and truthful.

Sounds easy enough, but there is one catch...

you must live this way in all areas of your life

every day.

Why wouldn't you want to live a virtuous life all the time?

Because we are human...we have difficulties being consistent.

We have good intentions, but we are weak.

We mean to do well and follow the Lord's commands,

but our actions often miss the mark.

"...man is virtuous—he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD."

God understands well our weaknesses and so he planned for it.

He wants us to have hope.

He does not want us to throw up our hands

when we fail and walk away.

"...Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed,
and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit."

The psalmist wrote psalm fifty-one with this promise from God in mind.

We can ask God every day to create in us a clean heart.

We can always return to God.

He is here for us just as the father in the parable if the prodigal son.

Maybe we do not deserve this great compassion and mercy from God,

but we can humbly recognize and accept it.

God is waiting for us to return to him as many times as is necessary

no matter how long we live.

Come to God with your frustrations;

 with how challenging it is to live virtuously every day.

God will touch your heart with love.

Jesus layed hands and prayed over the little children.

Perhaps his prayer over them was for their heart to

be open. Perhaps he prayed so that they would have the desire

firmly planted into their heart to return to God time after time.

Just for today imagine God praying over you...

praying for you...

laying his hands on you...

touching your heart.

If necessary return to your childhood and let God hold you.