So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” Hebrews 3:7-11 NIV
God had shown His faithfulness to the children of Israel in some pretty amazing ways! He heard their cries when they were enduring slavery in Egypt and He sent Moses to demonstrate His power to Pharaoh so he would release them. It started with the 10 plagues, then the parting of the Red Sea, the cloud that led them by day and the fire by night, the manna that appeared daily so they would have food to eat along with water from the rock, and let’s not forget that their clothes and sandals never wore out! Yet with all this, when they stood at the foot of the promised land they couldn’t muster up enough trust in God to move forward in obedience because the people they would have to battle were of great size. Joshua and Caleb tried to reason with them saying, “But the Lord is with us, do not be afraid” (Exodus 14:9), yet to no avail. Whatever you are battling today, its size is irrelevant if the Lord is with you. Consider God’s faithfulness to you thus far, and have the courage to move forward in obedience. Focus not on the size of the problem, focus on the size of God.
See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.” Hebrews 3:12-15 NIV
There’s an urgency, in the writers tone, to act today! Don’t wait! Why? Because sin is deceitful and has the ability to harden your heart! The longer you stay in sin, the more opportunity you give Satan to confuse you until eventually you lose sight of your original conviction. The writer of Hebrews is warning us to be careful not to turn away from the living God. He knows that sin’s deceitfulness has power to pull us in the wrong direction, and he is encouraging us to hold on to the truth to the very end. Finish strong!
Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. Hebrews 4:1-2 NASB
Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Hebrews 4:6-7 NASB
Are you tired? Has your battle with sin worn you out and exhausted you? If so, I have good news, you have the opportunity to enter God’s rest! Call to memory all the times God has shown you His faithfulness in the past and trust Him to help you now! The writer refers to Psalm 95 as he reminds us that even David understood the urgency of responding to God’s voice “Today.”
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:13-16 NIV
Jesus is well aware of our struggle with sin. He understands how hard it is, because He too was tempted, just like we are. He’s not expecting us to do anything that He hasn’t already done. He won the battle with sin and we can too, but not without His help. Don’t let the enemy keep you in sin because you are too ashamed to approach God. Don’t mistake the guilt and shame you feel as conviction. Here’s an easy way to tell the difference: Shame keeps us from approaching God, conviction causes us to run to Him. Jesus can empathize with your weakness and promises that when you approach the throne of God you will find mercy, grace and the help you need. What are you waiting for? Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.