Hearts Gone Astray

“So, as the Holy Spirit says: ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did …during the time of testing in the desert…That is why I was angry with that generation…Their hearts are always going astray…They shall never enter my rest.’ See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God…We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first…So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” Hebrews 3:7-19.

This morning’s passage is longer than usual but one worthy of our consideration. This entire chapter is dedicated to unbelief and speaks loudly about the missed blessings due to this sinful attitude. What strikes me most clearly is the explanation that their hearts were always going astray which invoked anger on the part of God. They had the information…they had the patience of God…they had the promise…but they lacked the belief. God made it transparently clear that through the testing of the desert will come the promised land. Their part was to simply believe, follow and be amazed by the working hand of the Lord.

What has God promised you that has yet to be realized? I know for me it has been two years of watching…waiting…anticipating. On this side I see delays, standstills and even stalemates. But God is working behind the scene and I must be faithful in my patience and belief in what He is going to accomplish. He set up the foundation of Emerging Life Ministries back in 2008 and I know He has the promised land for me. I cannot allow my heart to go astray with unbelief and fear that I am not going to accomplish His purpose for my life. The challenge is not the faith we have going into the desert, but rather maintaining our faith in the midst of the desert.

I am convinced that all unbelief begins in the hands of the devil. He turns our thoughts around and teases us with fear and is successful in making us waver in our belief of God’s provision and promises. If we will just hold strong to our faith, placing our confidence in God instead of the desert circumstances we will inherit His blessings in our lives.

So, see to it, my sisters and brothers…do not allow your faith to be manipulated by Satan. Place your faith in the hands of the One who will fulfill your God-given destiny.