HARD HEARTS

 

HARD HEARTS

“For they had not considered the matter of the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.” Mark 6:52

As Jesus' first group of disciples walked with Him on this earth, they witnessed untold accounts of miracles and divine works firsthand. At the point of the above-mentioned Scripture, they were really in the thick of things in Jesus’ earthly ministry.

They were pressed for time to even sit down and have a bite to eat.

People thronged them from every direction just to get near Jesus and perhaps be able to receive from the abundance of His hand. In this account of Scripture, the 5000 are fed with a lad’s simple lunch of loaves and fish.

Sending the disciples to the other side of the sea in a ship, Jesus departed for a mountain in which to pray. Wouldn’t you know, here come the boisterous winds and waves? Jesus on land and the disciples in the midst of the sea. He observed their panicking conduct and went walking to them on the sea.

Fear gripped their hearts at the sight of Him. They took Him for a ghost of some sort. But then are uttered those timeless words with which we never want to be without.

“Be ye of good comfort: it is I, be not afraid.”

At this point, He rejoins them on the ship and all is well. This rendered wonder and amazement in themselves. Imagine this! After all this time with Him, all the works witnessed from His hands, not even considering the miracle of the loaves and fish He had just performed; because their hearts were hardened.

What will it take to break a “hard heart?” Only the sacrifice offered by God Himself through Jesus our Lord can replace the heart of stone. The disciples did not have this work complete within them at this time. Man alone in his best effort, can never produce the life desired by our Heavenly Father.

Glory be to God, our provision has been made! We no longer have to trudge through this life with a hardness of heart. The Gift of God’s Son to us, bringing us salvation and abundant life, has included the Gift of His very Spirit within us to change our hearts and lead us in a victorious life.

Imagine Jesus walking and talking with us just as He did with those early disciples in the flesh. How could they be so close to Him in contact, yet still not begin to understand His nature and character in a way that would change their lives forever? It had to be done in the Spirit. Our Heavenly Father made arrangements for this to be so.

If you don’t know Him, let Him change your heart today. It’s the only way to a quality of life that has immeasurable eternal value. Let Him give you a new heart today.

Have a blessed week.

Julie

Scripture References:

Ezekiel 36:24-28

“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Then will I pour clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: yea, from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your body, and I will give you a heart of flesh.

And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.

And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Mark 6:46-52

“Then as soon as He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray.

And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.

And He saw them troubled in rowing, (for the wind was contrary unto them) and about the fourth watch of the night, He came unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

And when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out.

For they all saw Him, and were sore afraid: but anon He talked with them, and said unto them. Be ye of good comfort: it is I, be not afraid.

Then He went up unto them into the ship, and the wind ceased, and they were much more amazed in themselves, and marveled.

For they had not considered the matter of the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.”