"I shall harden the heart of Pharaoh." This seems so harsh of God, doesn't it? Why would God harden someone's heart, especially someone God is trying to convince? Ah, perhaps, here is the rub. This sentence reads: "And I, I will harden heart of Pharaoh and I am increasing signs of me and miracles of me in land of Egypt." And, and, and....these are all connected. Perhaps, God is declaring the effect that his actions will make. By increasing God's signs and miracles, God is declaring that God is God and no man, not even Pharaoh, is greater than God.
When we are told we've got it wrong (remember, Pharoah claims to be a god-king), or our plan is not right, or there's someone greater.....how often do our hearts harden? Or when, like the laborers in the vineyard, we see those we consider to be "less worthy" than ourselves receive exactly the same as we have been given---don't our hearts harden?
Greed, jealousy, vengeance, anger, having no mercy, arrogance.....all signs of a hardened heart.
We are called to be servant leaders (the first shall be last, and the last shall be first)---this requires us to be vulnerable to the Holy Spirit that our hearts may be softened and widened. God will be God and do what God does. When God's actions work in our favor and shine light into our darkness, we rejoice. But, when God's actions and God's light reveal a shadow within us...how do we respond then? Will we harden our hearts or offer them up for transformation?
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