A HARDENED HEART
Jesus was first and foremost a “servant”, and God has called each one of us to follow His example.
“Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:9-10
The world is shouting to us, “You can show us a miracle!
* It isn’t the Red Sea opening up that impresses us.
* It’s not seeing the blind given sight or the lame healed.
** It’s that you can look at the darkest hour of your life, a situation that’s hopeless to all human reasoning, and yet smile with joy, singing praises to God.
**That’s the miracle we want to see.”
Mark 6:52, “For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.”
Most of the time, we think of a person with a hard heart as being someone who is in terrible rebellion to God.
*While it is true that a rebellious person does have a hardened heart, in this instance, the Word is referring to the disciples’ hearts being hardened.
The word “hardened” as used here, means “to make calloused, unyielding or cold in spirit, or insensitive to.”
The disciples were not God haters, but rather they had become so sensitive to the natural world and its limitations that they were overwhelmed to see Jesus supersede these laws.
*Therefore, they had a hardened heart.
If they had kept in mind the miracle they had just seen Jesus perform (the feeding of the five thousand), then they wouldn’t have been amazed to see Jesus walking on the water toward them.
Many of us are more sensitive to fear and doubt than we are to the truths of God’s Word.
This is because we have thought more on things that minister fear and doubt.
When our hearts are hardened we don’t realize the goodness of God and how powerful He is.
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Isaiah 26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.
Jesus, You are the only Way, Truth and Life. So I ask, “what “truth” is being suppressed”? Yes- Reality, as defined by God. Thank You Jesus. Amen
Robert Bagne is the founder and president of The Hope Connection Ministry. Alongside his wife, Laura, he writes devotionals, leads recovery ministries, and mentors pastors and missionaries, while also serving in missions in Ukraine. Robert and Laura live in Ramsey, Minnesota, faithfully following God’s call.
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