Time to Reflect

 

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:7-12 ESV).

 

It’s Wednesday as I sit down to write a few more devotionals for future posting. My hope is that by the time you have read this I will have already finished the heart catheterization and be well on the mend. As I alluded to in the previous devotional, I had an appointment with the cardiologists and he felt we needed to go back into the arteries to check for blockages and possible remedies. Because of the symptoms I’m presenting, I am not at work as I usually would be, so sitting at the computer writing seemed to be an innocuous means of using my time wisely.

 

Being wise in the use of our time is essential to a life of joy and peace. It is difficult in our day. Times are tough. The world has both “slowed down” while placing greater demands on our spiritual and emotional health.  I find that true for myself, as well as many of those I work with weekly. At least some of that is a result of becoming so out of step with the culture we live in and the direction of the Holy Spirit. Whether our culture makes it easier or harder to be a Christian, we are all challenged to soften our hearts so that the Holy Spirit may shape us to become more reflective of the grace of God through Jesus. That was the challenge for God’s Old Testament people (cf. Psalm 95), and our reading today quotes those same words so that none of us will miss the point personally.

 

I suppose the BIG question is simply, “How soft is my heart?” Often I find myself closed to the work of the Holy Spirit. I have “so” much to do. Lists are the bane of my existence, and I have no one t blame but myself. The work of the Holy Spirit is to be a fellow burden bearer of mine. Yet I often refuse His help by stubbornly continuing in destructive and unwise decision. In fact, if I’m honest, I can admit to often being like the Israelites who grumbled against God. After all, we are as human as they. The solution is to continually take stock of our openness to God’s Spirit, practicing the disciplines of prayer and meditation. Revisit your habits in life.