He is the faithful God who… lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him. Deuteronomy 7:9-10
“Not now, maybe two weeks from now.” That’s the response a famous actress’s agent gave when an evangelist tried to contact her, having been burdened to pray for her salvation.[1]
The actress never spoke to the world-renown evangelist. She was found dead in a hotel room two weeks later. It would seem, that she’d refused to listen at the peril of her soul. That choice was hers to make and it’s also ours to make. God never forces us to do anything. He lets us choose how we’ll respond to Him and He lets us live in that choice.
The Bible says, God will even let you “harden your heart” against Him. The famous story of Moses leading the people of Israel out of Egypt features Pharoah, who, over and over, refused to listen to God. Pharoah had access to the same mercy of God that we do, but Scripture says, “Pharoah’s heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the Lord had predicted” (Exodus 8:15).
“He is the faithful God who… lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. But,” says Scripture, “he does not hesitate to punish and destroy those who reject him” (Deuteronomy 7:9-10).
If you’ve hardened your heart toward God’s offer of forgiveness, He is still renewing hearts of those who come to Him in repentance. He says, “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart” (Ezekiel 36:26).
God’s time of mercy for each of us will end. If you need a heart transplant today don’t wait another minute.
[1] Bell, L. Nelson. “Sinning-and Sinned Against.” ChristianityToday.Com, Christianity Today, 31 Aug. 1962, www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1962/august-31/layman-and-his-faith-sinningand-sinned-against.html.
