TODAY’S WORD FOR WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2017.
HEART
DEFINITION:
A muscular organ in the vertebrates; the vital center of one’s being, emotions and sensibilities; innermost feelings; sentiment; desire.
Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me. Hebrews 3:15.
What we feel in our heart is the motivating force in our life. For example, when we suffer a great loss or a great defeat we lose heart.
Put yourself in the place of the disciples. They gave their all to follow Jesus. It is hard to begin to imagine how grieved and defeated they felt after Jesus was crucified. They had reason to fear for their own lives. Where were they to go and what were they to do? But remember, Jesus knows all that is in our hearts.
Jesus went to the eleven disciples (Mark 16:14) just before He rose to heaven after the resurrection and reproached them because they were reclining around a table talking about the loss of their teacher. They did not believe those that said they saw Jesus after the resurrection. Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. And then He commanded them to get up and go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creatures.
Yes, even the disciples experienced unbelief, lack of faith and hardness of heart. The disciples had seen Jesus crucified and buried and were sitting around a table eating and bemoaning that they had lost their leader. Although they said they believed “He was the Christ” (Mark 8:29) and although Jesus had told them He would be killed and “three days later rise again” (Mark 10:34) they lacked the faith to believe that He was really alive when told that others had seen Jesus alive. When Jesus appeared to them when they were eating (Mark 16:14) they did believe completely and their hearts were changed and they went and preached everywhere (Mark 16:26).
Today God continually calls to His children but the condition of one’s heart determines the result. Those with soft and tender hearts hear His voice and yield to Him in obedience. Those with hardened hearts resist His warnings and instructions.
Hardening is a slow process that is accompanied by excuses and rationalizations. The danger signs might not be easily recognized. A hardened heart will show insensitivity and resistance to what the Lord is saying or directing and will not listen for His voice. One with a hardened heart will refuse to put himself or herself under His authority and will be disobedient to what they know is right. They will always justify sinful conduct and will resist counsel from others. They are preoccupied by the things of this world and lack any desire for Bible study or communication with God.
God wants us to have a tender heart that is pliable and responsive to Him. He wants us to be like a lump of clay that allows the potter to determine the shape of the vessel. God has sent His Holy Spirit to indwell each believer and to awaken responsiveness in him or her.
People with tender hearts will stay closely connected to the body of believers in Christ. They will be submissive to Him and quick to deal with any sin in their life. One with a tender heart not only is receptive to what God wants from them but are teachable and willing to listen to and be corrected by others
Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 3:14.
Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Keep my heart and the hearts of each of my family members tender toward You. May others see Christ in us and through us daily. Thank You for the encouraging words that we receive as we read Your Word.
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