“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’” (Psalm 95:8-11)

When God sent Samuel to find the next King of Israel after Saul, He expressed that he was not to look at his appearance because God was looking at the heart. “The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart.“ (1 Samuel 13:14) David, a man after God’s own heart, is seen in his stand as a boy before Goliath, in his desire not to hurt the Lord’s anointed, through his many Psalms, and his confession after his sin with Bathsheba. He cried out, “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. . .. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.” (Psalm 51:4,9-13) David’s heart had been broken and now he needed a pure heart.

David’s response was different then the people of Israel after they had left Egypt and crossed the Red Sea. From the Red Sea they had traveled 3 days without water. When they came to a Marah, the water was bitter, so they complained to Moses. Moses went to God, who pointed out a piece of wood that was to be thrown into the water. When it was thrown, the water became sweet. The people then came to a place with twelve springs. After much traveling without water again, the people complained and Moses said, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the LORD to the test?” (Exodus 17:2) God instructed Moses to strike the rock with his staff and water came from the rock. The place was called Meribah and Massah because the people “quarreled and tested the Lord “saying, ‘Is the LORD among us or not?’” (Exodus 17:7b) They did not count the fact that God had brought them out of Egypt and defeated the Egyptians army at the Red Sea. The people had hardened their hearts.

The Lord continues to look upon the heart. He looks at all our hearts. The question for you and me is, what does God find when He looks at our own individual heart. From the time of Moses, through lips of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit bringing us truth, God’s greatest of all commandments begins with “Love the LORD your God with all your heart.” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30) God is still looking on the heart. What kind of heart do you have? Is it after God’s own heart, or is it in some stage of hardening? When you fail, and we all do fail, is your heart broken with a desire for God to make it pure again?

Jesus asks a question, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17) When we come to Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit, who as our advocate, will help us as we grow in our relationship with God. He will also point out to us the attitude of our heart. He will show us where our heart is becoming hard, where we need to confess and keep our heart pure, and how to love God, as God has loved us. “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2) Jesus is always with us to help us as we live our lives together with Him. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:29-30)

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block