‘ Do you have a willing heart?’
Jesus stated, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,” ( Mark 4: 11- 12).
Then, Jesus quoted a passage out of Isaiah 6: 9- 10, “Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand.” Now turn to Mark 13: 14- 15, “For the hearts of this people have grown dull.”
Does this point to the fact that the eternal God is being selective in giving just a few the understanding to everlasting life? On the other hand, there are those in opposing camps who are quick to point out that it is God’s desire that all would be saved, quoting I Timothy 2: 4 to prove their point of view.
Is the Bible contradicting itself? Read on so we may put this thought to rest. First, we humans are very finite – we are flesh, we think in fleshly terms. We are limited in our knowledge of future events. We have a tendency to rationalize our limited understanding of past events. Because of this dilemma, we rationalize that the scriptures must be contradictory. But God is Spirit and He is omniscient – that is knowing all things, with all power and authority over all things living.
With this understanding, read what Jesus said about the “heart of man” in Mark 3: 5. “Jesus looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts; Jesus said to the man, ‘ Stretch out your hand,’ and his hand was healed.” Jesus, being omniscient, knew the hearts of these people were situated in unbelief before. This is the reason why He was grieved. He knows the hearts of all mankind.
Yes, it is His desire that all would be saved, but He also is aware that some people have a stubborn nature, a total rebellious attitude, such as Esau, whom God said He hated before he was born, see Romans 9: 13. Our Lord knew Esau would rebel against His Word and instruction, going his own way, having a rebellious heart or a “hardened heart,” as scripture describes this trait. Not that God cursed Esau in any way. It was Esau’s rebellious nature with which God could not work. Jacob, however, was willing to listen and obey – not perfectly, but willing.
That is how it is for us today. Do you have a willing heart to obey and heed His calling or are you being rebellious, wanting your own way and seeking what is pleasing to you? As scripture says, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart; these O God, You will not despise,” ( Psalms 51: 17). The Apostle Paul touches on this in Hebrews Chapter 3, Verses 7- 8, by stating if a person will hear the voice of Jesus, do not harden your heart.
This all boils down to the individual. Have you heard the gospel of salvation? Have you opened your heart to His Spirit of redemption? Or have you “hardened your heart” by disbeliev- ing the message of truth? Maybe you were persuaded by others who mock the Lord into disbelief, due to peer pressure. Remember, you must choose to follow Jesus – He won’t force you to receive eternal life. A hardness of heart is a person’s condition of insensibility to the call of God. This is the answer to a “hard saying.” God knows the heart of all mankind even before birth. He knows His own – He is the Shepherd and His sheep know His voice and follow Him. Will you?