were crushed , turning them into oil . God wants to take our crushed condition and turn it into the oil of His purified presence .
King David , when confronted with the depth of his sinfulness said “ Create in me a clean heart , O God , and renew a steadfast spirit within me … The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit . A broken and a contrite heart--these , O God , You will not despise ” ( Psalm 51:10,17 , emphasis mine ).
It ’ s tough , when there is so much death , to resist hardening one ’ s heart . It ’ s a natural , protective mechanism . Yet quoting from Psalm 95 the writer of Hebrews implores us not to give in . “ Today , if you will hear His voice , do not harden your hearts … There remains therefore a rest for the people of God ” ( Hebrews 4:7,9 ). Unreasonably , we are promised rest in our soul if we keep a tender heart even during times of severe trial .
A Heart that SEEKS
And you will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart . I will be found by you , says the Lord … ( Jeremiah 29:13,14 , emphasis mine )
While the prophet ’ s original context was God ’ s promise to bring us back to the land after the Babylonian exile , this statement has been proven by every generation in every nation .
I am an example . Following the senseless murder of a close friend , I was desperate to find the most basic answers to “ Why am I alive ? What happens after you die ? Why is there evil ?”
With all my being I sought for the God I did not know . And He enabled me to find Him ! In troubled times , times of grief and overwhelming need , the Lord beckons to us . “ Come to me all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens , and I will give you rest .” ( Matthew 11:28 ISV )
The LORD ’ s answer to Solomon , recorded in 2 Chronicles 7:14 , is being prayed countless times now , during our existential war against Hamas and Hezbollah .
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