Delayed obedience is no obedience at all.

Hebrews 3:7-8, "Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, if You will hear His voice, do not harden Your hearts as in the rebellion..."
Oh, how many times I have read and heard that verse in the 22+ years I have been a Christian. Until last night it always conjured up thoughts of the stiff-necked Israelites who hardened their hearts in rebellion against God. Last night however, God pierced my heart as He reminded me that many too many times that is exactly what I have done when I heard His voice hardened my heart. Most of the time I didn't think that was what I was really doing, I just allowed myself to be distracted from obedience from other things that rushed in to take its place.
Today....Today....That word swirled around in my head. Today, if you hear His voice --- respond today. Don't put off obedience. When we do, we are hardening our hearts just as they did in their rebellion. You know the rebellion I mean; the one we turn our noses up at wondering how the Israelites could be so dense.
The longer I am a Christian, the more like the Israelites I realize I am, stubborn, prideful, disobedient and short-sighted. How can I thumb my nose at their disobedience? I harden my heart, just like they did, and I have two things they did not. I have the complete revelation of God in His Holy Scriptures and I have the abiding Holy Spirit.
Delayed obedience is no obedience at all. So if today we hear His voice, we need to respond to Him today. If we don't eventually we will stop hearing His voice.

Are you listening?

Diane