Ezekiel 11:19
"And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:"
The heart is the organ of the body that acts as a pump to supply blood with oxygen and nutrients to the other organs of the body. The main reason a person might need a heart transplant is that their heart has stopped pumping blood and the body is no longer able to get the oxygen and nutrients it needs. Though there are many contributing factors as to why a person may or may not qualify for a heart transplant, the main need is a donor to give their heart. That means someone must die so that another can continue to live.
God said that He would give Israel a new heart. Israel had acquired a stony heart because of the many gods they had chosen to worship. God said that after He had scattered them to nations abroad, that one day He would gather them together and give them a new heart. In other words, God was going to be the donor and the surgeon. God was the One Who would remove the heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. He was simply pointing out that Israel needed a heart transplant, and He was the only One Who could perform this procedure.
I'm afraid that Christians oftentimes acquire a stony heart. It is saddening to see how many Christians have had their affections towards God hardened by the things of the world. They sit and listen to the preaching of the Word of God with no emotion, and yet they leave the church service and become involved and emotional about the things of the world. Their true need in this condition is a heart transplant.
Is there something in your life that has caused you to lose a passionate heart for God? Every Christian battles acquiring a heart of stone. It is so easy to allow the world's influence to harden our hearts. It is easy to allow the hardships of the Christian life to harden our heart. Has your heart been hardened towards God by a deep hurt? Has your heart been hardened towards God by worldly influences in your life? Has your heart been hardened towards God by the wrong friends who have influenced you? You will never be able to have a heart transplant until you recognize that your heart has been hardened and identify what hardened it.
Moreover, the only One Who can give you that heart transplant is God. Friend, you can run to every Christian book and religious leader to try and get that heart of flesh that is receptive towards God's Holy Spirit, but you will find that these things will never give you the heart transplant that you need. God is the only One Who can chisel through a heart of stone and give someone a new heart towards spiritual things.
Is your heart tender towards the things of God? Are you as passionate about the things of God and serving Him as you used to be? Let me encourage you to make your prayer to God one that asks Him to give you a heart transplant. Identify those things in your life that harden your heart and remove them. Confess your sin to God and ask Him to give you a new heart for Him. God will only be able to use you greatly for His cause to influence others when your heart is tender and passionate towards Him.