The Holy Martyr Boniface (230)
Nativity Fast
Hebrews 3:5-11, 17-19; Luke 20:27-44
Read Hebrews 3:5-11, 17-19
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
It happened to Israel after they were saved and led by the Lord God in exodus from slavery in Egypt; and it can happen to us who are saved and led by the Lord God in exodus from a life of sin and death—becoming hard of heart. We may not like to hear this, but we can forfeit our inheritance in Christ Jesus.
What can cause a heart to become hard, to lose its fleshliness and become like stone? We can choose to do so by allowing ourselves to be influenced by those things which weaken our faith, that is, we choose not to practice nepsis or to be watchful and vigilant of the heart. Sometimes we rationalize our sin before ourselves and God. We can build a wall around our heart shutting out God and others (often due to hurtful or discouraging experiences in our lives).
How do we prevent the hardness of heart? Watchfulness of heart. Fellowship with each other so that we can be encouraged in our faith, sharing stories of the Lord’s movement in our lives. It allows us to see the bigger movements of the Lord in our midst.