The Dangers of a Hard Heart - II Chronicles 15-16 and John 12:27-50
Asa was a wonderful king for Judah. He led them in a great victory over the huge Ethiopian army. Then, he led the people to make all kinds of reforms, so that they would remain faithful to the Lord and His covenant with them. God was so pleased with their commitment to Him that He gave them rest from wars. The Bible even affirms that Asa's heart was loyal to the Lord all of his days. There was a problem, though. Near the end of his life, Asa made a covenant with Syria. This was an act of unbelief. He had allowed his heart to drift from trusting God alone. That is how a hard heart starts. It is subtle at first. It does not seem to be so serious. However, once we begin to harden our hearts, the tendency is for our hearts to get harder and harder. That is what happened to Asa. Asa was enraged when the seer, Hanani, pointed out his sin. Then, he refused to trust the Lord, when his feet became diseased. He died a couple of years later. What a shame! This man of God allowed his heart to become hard, and it ruined his testimony. That is what happens to a lot of believers, who are not diligent to keep a soft heart before the Lord.
Look at the Jewish leaders in John 12. They heard the voice of the Father speaking to Jesus, but they would not believe He was the Messiah. They doubted His words, and they rejected His light. When they refused to believe, the Bible tells us that God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts. Does that mean that God prevented them from believing? I do not think that is what it means. I do not presume to know all it means, but let me make a couple of observations about hard hearts. When people decide not to accept the revelation of God to them, God does try to convince them. If they persist in resisting Him, He honors their choice. In effect, He says that if they want a hard heart, I will help them have an even harder heart. What He wants is for them to turn their hearts completely over to Him. He tells us that a person must come to Him with the heart of a child. Therefore, if a hard hearted person, even a person who God has hardened, will turn his or her heart over to the Lord, He will receive them. The key is that each person has the power to choose how he or she will respond to God. We can come with a broken heart, a loyal heart, or with a hard heart. God will not accept a hard heart, but His eyes are searching the whole earth constantly to find people with a heart loyal to Him. Remember, the Lord will not reject a broken soft heart. That is what He is looking for, and when He finds it, He shows Himself strong to that person.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Chronicles 17-18 and John 13:1-20.
Look at the Jewish leaders in John 12. They heard the voice of the Father speaking to Jesus, but they would not believe He was the Messiah. They doubted His words, and they rejected His light. When they refused to believe, the Bible tells us that God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts. Does that mean that God prevented them from believing? I do not think that is what it means. I do not presume to know all it means, but let me make a couple of observations about hard hearts. When people decide not to accept the revelation of God to them, God does try to convince them. If they persist in resisting Him, He honors their choice. In effect, He says that if they want a hard heart, I will help them have an even harder heart. What He wants is for them to turn their hearts completely over to Him. He tells us that a person must come to Him with the heart of a child. Therefore, if a hard hearted person, even a person who God has hardened, will turn his or her heart over to the Lord, He will receive them. The key is that each person has the power to choose how he or she will respond to God. We can come with a broken heart, a loyal heart, or with a hard heart. God will not accept a hard heart, but His eyes are searching the whole earth constantly to find people with a heart loyal to Him. Remember, the Lord will not reject a broken soft heart. That is what He is looking for, and when He finds it, He shows Himself strong to that person.
Tomorrow, I intend to read II Chronicles 17-18 and John 13:1-20.