It was dead as a doorknob, and my efforts to revive it were fruitless. I tried everything to resuscitate my wife’s car battery, but it was lifeless from sitting too long. No matter how many times I turned the key or wished with all my heart for an engine roar, it refused to start. The battery also couldn’t recharge itself as it required power from another source. It was dead and needed new life.
But once I connected to my fully-charged battery, what was dead came alive! And this is what occurs in the hearts of all believers at the momentous moment of their conversion. As sinners, we are born spiritually dead and lifeless, and we cannot revive ourselves (Eph. 2:1). No amount of wishing or trying can bring our dead hearts back to life. Only when we are connected to God’s regenerating grace by the cable of faith do we experience new life—and that’s a “battery” stronger than any Duracell.
We exit the tomb of spiritual death when Christ raises us to life, just as He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44). Lazarus couldn’t revive himself—he was dead. Lazarus couldn’t do good works to earn Christ’s favor—he was dead. Lazarus couldn’t even ask Jesus to resurrect his body because he was dead. Christ accomplishes this awesome work of regeneration without any assistance from man because He is the “resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
And the Lord promises this to all who experience this death-to-life saving work: “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Has the battery of your heart been revived by God’s life-giving grace?
Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.
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Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).
For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word: