Do Not Harden Your Heart

12/1-  Exodus 7:13- “Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen to them as the Lord had said.”

There is debate about how Pharaoh’s heart was hard.  But this is a warning.  When our hearts are hard to the Lord- or calloused- we do not listen.  Psalm 95:8 says, “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah…”  There are many times in history where the people have decided they do not need to listen to God or His Word any more- but they can make up their own ideas about God.  Such thinking is a hardening of our hearts.  Often sin hardens our hearts.  We do not want to admit we are wrong, or need to change.  We may actually think that we cannot change at all.  Humility causes soft hearts.  A soft, contrite heart the Lord will not despise.  This Advent, humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and let Him lift you up.  Jesus humbled himself- leaving heaven, dying on the cross.  The Father raised Him up to the highest place that every knee would bow and tongue confess that He is Lord.  But being lifted up means that you are not the one doing all the talking.  You recognize, humbly, the need to listen. 

Prayer: Lord, give me a listening heart.  Keep me from pride and a hardening of my heart to you.