“But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not listen to the law or to the words that the Lord Almighty had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So the Lord Almighty was angry.” Zechariah 7:11-12
As I read this passage, I thought about childhood tantrums. I can remember defiantly putting my fingers in my ears to block out my mother’s instructions. My Deaf brother would sometimes shut his eyes when he was being scolded or instructed. Now, I am the mother and I have children who (although generally well-behaved) sometimes ignore, walk away or in some other way stubbornly defy me or my “laws”.
I am glad to live in New Testament time, where we are forgiven even when our hearts were hard as flint and not in the Old Testament time when God made “the pleasant land desolate” (7:14c).
Father God,
Thank you for the image of You loving us as a forgiving parent. You are ever patient and loving through our times of stubbornness as well as our times of contrite brokenness.
Karen (byhisgracekml)
Sixty-six books in a year 