Hearts Like Playdough

Below is an email sent by Susan Sampson to her small group - I thought you all would enjoy it!

I think I have told you all before how much I love the scripture, Ezekiel 36:26, which Laurie taught us last semester. It says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." I seem to be making this my prayer quite often these days as I really struggle with hard-heartedness.

As I was thinking about this, the Lord brought to my mind a can of Playdough. Really, if you think about it, our hearts are a lot like Playdough. Think about a brand new can of Playdough. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Cor. 5:17 I love when I first open a new can. I always smell the Playdough before I take it out of the can; I love the smell of Playdough; to me it smells fresh and clean (I know I'm a little crazy :)) Second Corinthians 2:15 says, "For we are to God the aroma of Christ."

Now think about taking that Playdough out of it's can for the very first time. It feels so soft and squishy. It's pliable, moldable. It can be made into anything in the right hands and as long as it's cared for properly. The bible mentions several times that we are like clay and our Father is like the potter.

"Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." Isaiah 64:8

"Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand." Jeremiah 18:6

"Remember that you molded me like clay." Job 10:9

"Your hands shaped me and made me." Job 10:8

Of course to keep our precious Playdough pure and pristine it needs to be taken care of; just like our hearts. Proverbs 4:23 says, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." And Philippians 4:7 commands us to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

We have to be careful what we expose our Playdough to and how we treat it. If we start to mix it up with different colors, the true color is no longer identifiable. It is no longer pure. It is no longer set apart. 1Timothy 5:22 says, "Keep yourself pure." And 1John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." And in 1Peter 3:15 the bible says, "But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord."

Now, what happens to the Playdough when it's left out of its container; uncared for; untouched; neglected? It begins to dry out. It begins to crumble. Although it may not happen overnight, if neglected long enough, the Playdough will become hard as a rock. The bible repeatedly warns us against hardening our hearts. "Blessed is the man who always fears the Lord, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble." Proverbs 28:14

And Psalm 95:8 says, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts..."

We must protect our Playdough, we must guard it from drying out and becoming a rock. How do we do this? It's simple. Keep your Playdough in its' can with the lid on tight! We must guard our hearts! Remember, "As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man."Proverbs 27:19 And in the book Song of Songs 8:6 it says, "Place me like a seal over your heart." Ladies, we must "yield our hearts to the Lord" Joshua 24:23. When we do this, by staying in the Lord's will and in His word, our hearts will remain soft and moldable and responsive, ready to be shaped by our Maker into whatever He wants. 2Kings 22:19 says, "Because your heart was responsive...I have heard you, declares the Lord."

Just this week Laurie reminded us that "if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."Matthew 21:22 Girls, let's pray together and ask the Lord to make our hearts like that brand new can of Playdough; sweet smelling, soft, tender and moldable! It is worth it. Remember, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8. What could be better than that!!