“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” 

Ezekiel 36:26

Justice is never achieved in a single verdict or judgment. Biblical justice – such as the prophet’s proclaimed – is an ongoing matter of difficult inner work and the searching of our souls and hearts.

Ezekial, speaking on behalf of God, offers us words of hope that we can be changed and our inward being can be transformed. God knows we can become callous and indifferent, fearful and withdrawn. In the words of the Hebrew Bible, we become “hard hearted.” God says indeed He will remove from us our callous indifference and our heart of stone – and transplant a tender heart within us.

While the verdicts for George Floyd’s life were rendered yesterday, the work of achieving true community continues. Methodist Home for Children is committed to doing the difficult inner work – questioning assumptions and prejudices, facile judgments and quick condemnations. We continue to pray that God will guide us until all of God’s children are living and thriving equally under God’s love and grace.

Please God, move within us, transform us, cure all of us of our heart problem. Amen.

– Rev. Bruce Stanley, President / CEO