Day 19

Hard Hearts

Read: Exodus 8-10

Again and again we read of Pharaoh hardening his heart. We need to realize that the Bible teaches we were born with hearts as hard as stone. Only by the gracious work of the Holy Spirit, the divine inner work of regeneration, do our hearts become soft and submissive to God. Let us realize that were it not for the grace of God, our hearts would be as hard as Pharaoh’s heart, and we too would suffer tragic consequences similar to those that befell him.

Pharaoh’s hard heart is the reason one plague after another falls upon him and his people. Some of these plagues were similar to ones common in Egypt. The miraculous element was the intensity, the timing, and the fact that in some cases they fell on the Egyptians but not on the nearby Israelites. People today don’t like to think of it, but the fact is that God punishes sin. He does it in many ways. Sometimes the punishment falls not only on the individual who sins but also has adverse effects on those around the sinner.

It is important to confess sin. But sometimes such confession is shallow and ineffective. Pharaoh “confesses” his sin but then goes right on sinning. He also begins to try bargaining with God. He will do what God wants though only with certain ifs, ands, or buts attached. That accomplishes nothing.

PRAYER
Father, we believe that we are saved only by grace, because you have produced a miracle in our naturally hard hearts. Thank you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.