This morning in my devotional reading in Ezekiel, I came across God’s declaration about people of Israel. In Ezekiel 3:7, God says of them that they have “a hard forehead and a stubborn heart.” In short, they were hard-headed and hard-hearted. When Ezekiel went to them with God’s Word, he should be surprised if they don’t listen and don’t obey; in fact, he should expect them to do that very thing.
As I reflected on God’s description of His own people, it led me to a thought and a question:
(1) What a terrible way to live your life – hard-headed and hard-hearted. It seems that it would simply make for a miserable existence, a life of trouble, and a lifestyle that would create chaos in a person’s relationships.
(2) Does that description of the people of Israel ever fit me? If I’m honest, I’ve got to admit that sometimes it does. And when it does, it should lead to confession and repentance before God, and it can often lead to apologizing to someone I’ve hurt and seeking to make things right.
It can be way too easy to simply read over the words on the pages of the Bible in the rush of the day, but it does us good to slow down and read thoughtfully and prayerfully. God’s Word can be a mirror for us, and when He show us our sin and exposes the rebellion in our own lives, it is His invitation to confession, repentance, and renewed fellowship with Him and others.
How have you been hard-headed and hard-hearted recently?
If so, how will you respond that that realization?
Be Transformed 