O that today you would listen to his voice! Do not harden your hearts…
Psalm 95:7-8
The first seven verses of Psalm 95 are an exhortation to praise God for his goodness as reflected in the declaration of our relationship to God opening Verse 7. Verse 7 then transitions into Verse 8 which abruptly delivers a warning not to tempt God as did our forefathers wandering in the wilderness. The message in Verse 8 exhorts the reader not to let their heart be stubborn, insensitive and unresponsive to God as did their ancestors, while being led by Moses in the wilderness days at Meribah and Massah. Moses found himself burdened with a quarreling, bickering and distrustful people who repeatedly (over 40 years) professed their lack of faith in Moses and God. These Hebrews finally succeeded in turning God against them and as a result were denied their ultimate home and heritage in Cannan.
How many times do we in our day-to-day lives harden our hearts to God? When a parent dies, when a child dies, when economic troubles decimate us? How many times do we doubt that God cares? How could God let this happen to such a good person? How can disease take such a devout Christian, yet leave the unbeliever ……? Are these not the same doubts that plagued the Hebrews in the wilderness …. and caused God to forever deny them, as stated in Verse 11 “so I have swore in my anger that they would never enter into my rest.”
It seems to me that as modern day Christians we must work diligently to keep our faith in God and not “harden our hearts” to God because in our ignorance we cannot understand God and his plan for us and our salvation.
Cal Steuart
