The danger of a hardened heart is as real today as it was when Moses confronted the Pharoah to let God’s people go. A hardened heart does not happen all at once, which is why it can be dangerous. Erosion occurs a little at a time, and a hardened heart is similar because it can sneak up on us.
The Lord speaks to all of us, but how we respond depends on the condition of our hearts. Upon hearing the Lord’s voice, some believers long for a deeper relationship with Him. This deeper relationship the Lord calls us to is one of obedience driven by love for Him. We desire to obey out of love and not duty. Others resist the Lord’s voice like water draining off a roof. If we resist the voice long enough, the world drowns out His voice.
The Hardened Hearts of the Egyptians
A repeated theme in Exodus is the hardened heart of the Pharoah and the Egyptians. They had hard hearts long before the Egyptians chased the Israelites to the edge of the Red Sea. Like a person moments before a deadly heart attack, the Egyptians did not realize their danger.
Exodus 14:17 And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will charge in after the Israelites. My great glory will be displayed through Pharaoh and his troops, his chariots, and his charioteers. 18 When my glory is displayed through them, all Egypt will see my glory and know that I am the Lord!” [1]
The Egyptians chased the Israelites into the Red Sea, and then the walls of water collapsed around them, and they were no more. If you enter eternity with a hardened heart, you condemn yourself.
The Lord Desires a Soft and Teachable Heart
The Lord’s desire for you is not to have a hardened heart but one sensitive to the leading of His Holy Spirit. When our heart is teachable, God transforms us over time. A disciple of Jesus is a person who is willing to be taught and willing to learn more.
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.[2] As followers of Jesus, we must humble ourselves and accept correction, which is part of having a teachable spirit.
There have been times when I needed to be reminded of what was truly important. A teachable or soft heart is primarily a fruit of humility. When we have an open heart, we are in a place to receive wisdom from the Lord and others. In the Scriptures, the Lord calls a teachable person wise. The Lord loves you so much that he gave His life for you so you could be saved. To be saved is to have a soft heart that accepts the Lord’s fantastic gift of salvation.
To learn about the danger of a hardened heart, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/journey-freedom
[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Ex 14:17–18). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Ti 3:16). Tyndale House Publishers.
I am enjoying these daily teachings!