DON’T HARDEN YOUR HEARTS

Hebrews 3:12-15, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed we will share in all that belongs to Christ. Remember what it says: “Today when you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.” NLT

Beloved, throughout the History of Israel the Lord was constantly attempting to speak truth to them. Sometimes Israel would be receptive to the words of the Lord given through the Prophets. However, many times the people of Israel would turn a deaf ear to the Lord. They would not listen and they would harden their hearts to God’s Word.

The admonition given to us today is simple. God desires to speak to us. He speaks to us through conscience, through creation and in latter days, as today, through His Son Jesus Christ and through His Word. Therefore, when we hear the Word of the Lord, given to us as we read the Bible or hear a sermon, we need to respond to that Word from God. If we do not respond, we “will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.” Our hearts will become, “evil and unbelieving, turning you (us) away from the living God.” Rather, we need to be “faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, (and) we will share in all that belongs to Christ.” Hence, we must “warn each other every day.”

Don’t harden your heart to God’s Word. Read it, listen to it and apply it to your life. God is speaking. May we slow down and listen to His still small voice, whispering to us the great mysteries of His incredible love and grace for each of us!