PODCAST
Hard Head, Soft Heart
May 30th, 2014
Ezekiel 3:4-15
In some ways it is harder to be a faithful witness to family and neighbors than to people we do not know. God did not minimize Ezekiel’s challenge. The prophet was called to speak words of judgment to people who had become “hardened and obstinate” (v. 7).
Jesus said of Nazareth, His hometown, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home” (Mark 6:4). He “was amazed at their lack of faith” and “could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them” (vv. 5-6). Luke (4:29) tells us that the Nazarenes were so furious with Jesus that they tried to throw Him off a cliff!
God promises to make Ezekiel “as unyielding and hardened” as his hearers (Ezekiel 3:8). Tough times demand tough prophets. God’s message must be proclaimed, whether they would listen or not.
“Forgive us for thinking that others have soft heads and hard hearts, when we are often the ones afflicted by both. Help us to be more open with our hearts, more knowledgeable with our heads, and more generous in spirit.” (Moravian Lectionary).
Author: Duane C. Brush
Tags: Jesus
May 31st, 2014 at 12:05 am
In the printed version of Reflecting God each day also has a hymn or song, a quote of some kind, and a prayer request. Is there a place on this site that includes those?
May 31st, 2014 at 9:08 am
Patricia,
Thank you for your interest in Reflecting God. This site carries a special edited version of the Reflecting God daily devotional to fit the one minute audio version. The full version is currently only available in one of our print versions. We are working on a digital version and hope to announce something in the near future. Please pray for us as we face the challenges of the digital revolution.
Blessings, Duane Brush