Harden not your hearts

“Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” - Psalms 95v8

When we were children most of us played with modelling clay and used it school. I was never any good at it. Recently at a “staff enrichment day” we were supposed to model our greatest achievements for the year in clay. My attempt was pitiful. Even though I am no clay artist, at least my clay was soft and pliable. When we were children we were always said when we left our modelling clay out and it went dry and hard, because then it was unusable.

Here is Psalm 95 God instructs us to not harden our hearts in rebellion to His word. When we hear the word of God we can react in a couple of ways. One is the “get our backs up” and harden ourselves to it. When we do that we are no better than that hardened clump of modelling clay we left out when we were children, useless and of no value to God. On the other hand, we can be soft and pliable at the Master Potter’s hand. Much more skilful than a child at play (or me trying to show my greatest achievements) God can shape us, mould us, and make us into the perfect vessels for His use.

Oh may we never harden our hearts to God’s word. May we always be soft and pliable to His touch.