Most Beloved Son of God, despite the miracles You did while on earth and the testimony You shared with those who would listen, there are still those who reject You. As a result, their hearts have become hardened, their eyes have been blinded to the truth, and darkness has engulfed them. What they miss out on is the salvation You came to offer and the healing of their lives that they desperately need. You did nothing to prevent them from believing in You, instead You simply allowed them to make the choice and reap the consequences of that choice … good or bad. After resisting Your call, a “hardened heart” becomes set in its ways so that they do not even try to understand You or the message You came to share. The world and the deceptions of the Devil has made it virtually impossible to surrender to You. It does not mean you will not try to reach them … just that they will continue to resist Your call.
When I chose to believe in You, I not only chose to believe in You, but the One who sent You. When I consider You, I consider the whole Triune God. You have come into this world to be a light to those of us who choose to follow You and darkness will not permeate our lives. If I want to know more about the God I serve, I only need to examine Your life and the meaning of the words You spoke to know my God. In You are life, liberty, hope, and a call to arms against the enemy of every soul. Your journey to earth was requested by Your Father and, through Your obedience, You showed us the way to Heaven and a better life. When You come again, those who hardened their hearts toward You and Your Word will receive eternal punishment while those who choose to believe in You will receive their eternal reward. It is critical to not let one’s heart become hardened because that choice has eternal consequences.
The Bible warns all men, in multiple places, to harden not their hearts. This means avoiding stubbornly setting themselves against You and Your message of reconciliation. By hardening their heart, people cannot turn to You for forgiveness and forego the chance of eternal life. When a person hardens their heart, they recklessly disobey Your commands. As You have said, it is not sacrifice that You demand, but obedience. A question that must be answered is “who do you say I am?” If I cannot answer “You are the Son of God who came down from Heaven to share a message of forgiveness and salvation and accept You as my Savior” … then there is no hope for me because there is ONLY one way to eternal life. A “hardened heart” faces frustration, emptiness, lost opportunities, and darkness. That is why I will always keep my “heart soft” by clinging to You. And it’s in Jesus’ Name I pray. AMEN!!
Hebrews 4:7 Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts. (A repeat of Psalm 95:8)