Take Heed

Verse of the day: 1 Samuel 6:6, Why then do you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? When He did mighty things among them, did they not let the people go, that they might depart?

I find it rather amusing, and sad, when I am watching a television program or movie and I hear them make a reference to something biblical. I have spoken to unsaved people who know stories found in the Bible, and even met one person who was not a Christian, but practically knew the entire Book of John. Why is this amusing and sad? Well, because it is evidence that all these people know something about God, but choose to harden their hearts rather than turn to the Lord. The Philistines refused to turn to the God of Israel, even though they had suffered severely for taking the Ark of God hostage. In spite of all that God showed them over a seven month period, they refused to repent and turn to Him. The priests of the land, who were obviously familiar with the God of Israel, warned them in the question they asked them in this verse. This is the unfortunate pattern of those who refuse to repent, even though they see the consequences of sin in the lives of others. As God’s children, when we are living with some sin that we refuse to confess or forsake, the Lord graciously begins by convicting us of our sinful ways. The Holy Spirit will first remind us and convict us in order to give us the opportunity to turn from our sinful ways (repent), confess our sins, and turn back to the Lord. John 16:8 reminds us, “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment”. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the church at Corinth about the sin that was in their midst, when they had eradicated it and got right with God, wrote this in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10, “Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” God’s desire is that we not just confess the sins we commit, but His desire is that we turn from sin and turn to Him. When we refuse to turn, even after the Lord has so graciously convicted us by way of the prompting of the Spirit, the Lord then presents us with both biblical examples of those who hardened their hearts toward God, and oftentimes even brings us people we know who are now suffering the consequences of refusing to forsake sin in their lives. Far too often, we refuse to heed the warnings and examples to our own hurt and detriment. Why do continue in sin, even after we see the painful consequences in the lives of others who hardened their hearts? Why not learn from the example of others, rather than wait until God has finally said, “Enough”? Would it not be better if we were truly broken over the sin that separates us from God? Our repentance should not be simply for the sake of seeking God’s forgiveness. Our repentance should put us on a path where we have no intent on returning to that sin. It means being open to allowing the Lord to change us from within, so that we no longer seek our pet sins. True repentance puts us on a path to live a life of righteousness, where stumbling in sin becomes the exception and not the rule. If we truly seek repentance and seek to maintain intimacy with the Lord, then we will daily come before the Lord confessing our sins with a heart of repentance, as we are encourage to do in 1 John 1:8-10, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” Let us take heed and turn back to God before the painful consequences of our hardened hearts come to visit us, and let us seek to live for the glory of our God.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).