Hard Hearts

By Paul Chappell

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation."

Hebrews 3:13-15

Not far from our church is the Edwards Air Force Base. This storied flight facility has been home to some of the most famous airplanes and pilots in United States history. It was from Edwards that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 test aircraft in 1947. The geological feature that originally drew the military to Edwards was the presence of the Rogers Dry Lake bed—a flat, hard surface that stretches for miles across the high desert.

While a hard surface makes an ideal location for airplane runways, it makes for a spiritual barrenness when it characterizes our hearts. When our hearts are hard, we are not ready to hear the Word of God and allow it to produce fruit in our lives. There is simply no place for it to take root.

How do our hearts become hard? The Bible tells us that the deceitfulness of sin produces a hard heart. The word deceitfulness indicates that it is the result of a process we may not be fully aware of ourselves. Over time as we allow the allure of sin to tempt us, our hearts grow hard toward the things of God. To become fruitful again, we must do what a farmer does before planting seeds in the field—break up and prepare the ground. As we confess our sins and seek the face of God, we will find our hearts softening and becoming ready once again to hear His Word.

Today's Rooted Principle:

Plow the ground of your heart today so that you are ready to receive the Word of God and be fruitful.