What Will It Take?

Pharaoh sent to find out, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened (his mind was set); and he did not let the people go. Exodus 9:7 Amplified Bible

Have you ever come across an account in the Bible and the actions and thoughts of a person leave you baffled? Pharaoh’s refusal to let the children of Israel go is one such bafflement to me. As plague upon plague is sent his way, the scenario is always the same. Pharaoh is told, he sees it happen, and yet he remains unmoved. How can that be? For him, there is a refusal to change even when powerful evidence is placed right before his eyes. He is not just hearing some distant story. He is experiencing all of it! And yet it never reaches his heart. His mind is not swayed, his thinking is not affected, and his resolve is not weakened.

We often think if God would just do certain things in a person’s life they would surely turn to Him. Each of us who have trusted Christ as Savior wonder that everyone who hears about salvation does not respond as we did. We often think if only we can present it clearly enough and say just the right thing they will get it! While it is certainly appropriate to learn to share our faith affectively, the bottom line is that God must open the eyes of their heart to hear, understand, and accept salvation and all other biblical truth. It is God who must remove the things that hinder them from coming to Him. It is God who must give them the insight to what He is saying.

Whether we are talking to a non-believer or a Christian, spiritual truth will not be seen, digested, or accepted apart from a work of God in their heart, mind, and soul. May the truth of that, alter our prayers in mighty ways. May we not only take the opportunities for sharing as they come, but may we diligently ask God to do the preparatory work in their life so they can truly receive what we are saying. While God certainly uses us as vessels and mouth pieces, He alone works in the heart and mind of individuals. Any spiritual truth I ever took in and fully realized was only possible because of His work in me. Even as a believer, my ability to digest truth and see change will only come as God removes the hindrances of my heart and mind, and helps me to grab on to what He is teaching me. I do not take that lightly…..I take it in awe!

Father, without Your intervention and interaction, hearts and minds will remain unmoved. Open the closed hearts and blind eyes today. Amen.