Wednesday 8 September, 2021

7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, 9 where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. 10 That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ 11 So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” 12 See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. 15 As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” 16 Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? 17 And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.

Today!  It’s said three times in this passage. Not tomorrow, next week, next year, when we’re out of lockdown but today, this is urgent!  Don’t let your heart get hardened today!  The Holy Spirit is telling us when you hear His voice respond.  Unbelief is equated as sin.

I know there have been many times when I have debated with the ‘still small voice’ of the Holy Spirit and with what I’m reading in the Bible, or worse ignored altogether what God is asking of me. I have hardened my heart, which this passage tells us turns us away from God, v12.

But, don’t you love the ‘but’s’, v13.  We can encourage each other; this is where the community of believers is so valuable. Stay connected, encourage each other, keep your heart soft. I know I’m writing to myself.  We have a saviour, a High Priest v1, Jesus who intercedes on our behalf, who forgives our sin, when we turn to Him.  Can I encourage you today, keep your heart soft, talk to Jesus, rest in Him.

Lord Jesus, forgive my unbelieving heart.  When I have not listened to the Holy Spirt, when I have made decisions to do things my way and not yours, when I haven’t believed that it was your voice speaking to me. Lord, thank you for your mercy, forgiveness and rest.  Amen

Written by Suzie Hodgson