The heart of the matter, is the heart (VI) A contrite or hardened heart

I can’t leave this subject of the heart  without at least touching on an aspect of it that comes over and over in the Scriptures,  namely hardness of heart. After hanging out with Jesus for some considerable time, the disciples were still in grave danger of having hard hearts (Mark 8:17. Hardness of heart ranges from what happens when we deliberately and consciously disobey a direct command of the Lord, to being slow to understand, and to believe what the Lord is saying  (Exodus 8:32; Luke 24:25).  It is part of the fallen human conditions,  and in its strongest form can perhaps best be thought of as an attitude of disobedience and of self-will,  a stance of stubbornness towards the things of God. And as with the disciples, we can be largely unaware of it. In fact, we can be subconsciously choosing not to believe or understand, because if we do, we might just have to do something about it!

David had hardened his heart in the Bathsheba incident. When pregnancy had resulted from his adultery, rather than repenting, he deliberately tried to cover his sin which essentially resulted in the murder of Bathsheba’s husband (2 Samuel 11). The Scripture tells us that he who seeks to cover his sin shall not prosper (Proverbs 28:13). The Lord sends Nathan the prophet to get under David’s radar by speaking of an injustice that was close to David’s heart. “That man shall die” declares David. “You are that man” replies Nathan, and David is cut to the quick. In an instant David’s hardened heart is turned to a broken and contrite heart (2 Samuel 11; Psalm 51:8, 17). Now the Scripture speaks of David, as a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22)! But how can that be after all that David had done?

And the fact of the matter is, that our merciful and gracious God is a God of second,   third,  and forth chances. etc., etc. In fact when we turn to Him with a broken and contrite heart,  He takes our sins and throws them into the depth of the  sea, and chooses to remember them no more (Micah 7:19; Isaiah 43:25).   But the point I want to make this morning, is that  the  fact that heroes of the faith could be so blind to the hardness of their own heart,  points to the need for us to pray the prayer we have been talking about the last few days  (Psalm  139:23, 24). We are talking about asking God to search our hearts and to know us through and through. I am saying, that if we want to be  lead in “the way everlasting” (verse 24), then perhaps we should pray this prayer on  regular basis. I am not sure there is any other way to keep our hearts soft and open to his guidance, leading and direction, nor to experience the  fullness of life that He intends for us to have (John 10:10b).

Father, I ask you to take away any fear  I,  or anyone reading this post might have,  about laying our hearts bear before You. You have promised Father,  that You will not allow us to be tried,  tested or tempted above our ability with Your help to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13). In fact Lord You are infinitely patient with us and kind. You know our  frame you know we are but dust (Psalm 103:14). Thank You Lord for Your unconditional love and regard. Show us Lord any wicked way in which we might need to repent in Jesus Name Amen