Cut the Knot

Heart Prep

Dear Lord, help me to realize Your power and strength in my life.
Allow me to see Your hand working in the details of my character. Amen.

Ezekiel 36:26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and
I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

Have you ever managed to get a knot in your shoelaces? I have several times. Most times, I'm in a hurry, so I ignore the knot, finish tying the shoe, and head on out. After a few days, the knot is so tight I can’t
untie it.

My dad's truck once got stuck in a ditch. A friend came, tied a rope from his truck to ours, and pulled us out. After untangling the rope, our friend noticed a knot that he couldn't untie. There was so much tension that the knot was not coming out. He had to cut the rope. He had to cut the knot out, or the rest of the rope would have been useless.

I was thinking about that and the Lord began to show me how it relates to my character. We have all looked within and found things we don't like about ourselves. If you're like me, you’ve looked in the mirror and said, "Why do you act like that?!" Maybe it's a temper that keeps flaring up. Maybe it's an attitude we can't seem to shake. There are mannerisms I can see in myself that have become so ingrained over time and with habitual use that I can’t just wish them away. I can’t just "get over it”. There are times that I simply have to pray, "Lord, cut the knot out."

The Lord is so gracious. He knows those flaws are in us. “But for [His] holy name” (Ezekiel 36:22-23), He will cut out those flaws. He will give us a new heart and a pure character. He will replace the old with the new. He wants us to represent Him well, so when we ask Him to "cut the knot out”, it brings a smile to His face. He delights to give us His character.

Life Application

What is God saying to me?

Something I want to remember from this is....

How does this change my life and what are my next steps?