As a parent, I often had to offer guidance to my kids. At times, I had to remind them of a rule.  In rare occasions, I had to reinforce my words, restating them with some emphasis.  At those moments, I sometimes felt angry.  When words are repeated, it’s probably best to listen carefully.

In the Bible, God speaks to us.  The words we read are directly inspired by God, and the human author writes as if God’s hand wraps around his own, just as we teach our tiny children to make letters on a page.  One striking example of God’s inspiration can be seen in Psalm 95.  The Psalm opens with words of praise, recognizing God as our salvation, our creator, and our sustainer.  In verses 8 and 9, we read:

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.

What happened at Meribah and Massah?  We read of this event in Exodus 17, verses 1 through 7.  Here, the Israelites faced an uncertain future, one of extreme concern, the lack of drinking water.  In their complaint, the people showed no faith in God.  The people rebelled, threatening to kill their leader with stones.

In response to the complaint, the leader demonstrated his faith, by immediately turning to God. He “cried out to the Lord.”  He shared his deep despair, and the fear for his life.  And he waited for God’s response.  The leader went to a place where the Lord met him, with a few others from the group.  God rewarded him with flowing water from a rock.  On top of a mountain.  Where no rainwater could collect.  Where no underground stream would flow.  There is no doubt as to who provided the water!  The leader used a wooden staff to strike the rock, noteworthy as the staff used to separate a dry land path for the people in the midst of a sea as they fled oppression.  And from the rock, water flowed.

In a common Hollywood ending, we might expect for the flowing water to be the unbelievable highlight of the movie, where the leader is rewarded with cheers of the crowd for somehow bringing water to their number.  In God’s Word, though, the water is not the story.  We see this when we find the words of the Psalmist brought back to life in a well-written letter to those curious about Jesus Christ, in the book of Hebrews. The words of the Psalm are directly quoted, in Hebrews 3:7-11.  They are that important.  As children, we are hearing the words of a Father again.  We didn’t listen well the first time!  What does our Father say?

Do not harden your hearts.  Do not harden your hearts.

When we think back about our passage through life, no doubt we can think of a person once a friend, and now, well, not a friend.  On the playground in elementary school, one of your friends didn’t choose you for his kickball team, and that was it!  In high school, it was the person who left you all alone to face the wrath of the principal for bringing alcohol to the big game.  In your first real job, it was the person who stole your great idea and took it to the boss for credit.  Each time, our hearts were hardened towards the person.  The relationship ended, in emotional trauma, most often anger.  Sometimes forever.

Just like our relationships ended with certain people, the entire nation of Israel was separated from fellowship with God in a wilderness, as a result of their lack of faith.  Even the place names were changed to reflect what happened!  Massah means “testing,” and Mariah means “quarreling.”  Their lack of faith angered God.  Just like the person who left you holding the bag of liquor at the high school game angered you.

In His righteous anger, God decided to keep the nation away from “His rest.”  To these people, that meant a particular land “flowing with milk and honey.”  Forty years later, God opened that land to His people, just as He promised.  In a similar way, forty years later, at the high school reunion, you saw your old friend who left you under the stadium and reconnected over a glass of Merlot.  The relationship was restored.  Your disappointment from Friday night long ago was softened by a realization that a deep friendship was still possible, once you talked it over.

God doesn’t want us to be separated from Him for forty years!  There remains only one thing that separates us, and that is sin.  Sin prevents us from a relationship with God, even as believers in Christ.  Sin finds us struggling to find our way, instead of seeing God guide us effortlessly.  Sin finds us in fear, wondering how we are going to survive financially, instead of relying on God to provide.  Sin finds us alone, in a darkness borne of shame, instead of in community, where our true needs are met.  The writer of Hebrews offers this admonition in 3:12-15:

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.”

Even today, God is speaking to you.  He is promising a life of incredible richness and complexity.  He offers joy and peace.  He provides everything we need, and more.  Will we let sin’s deceitfulness harden our hearts against our loving Father?

Today, and every day, turn to God!  Look for His blessings.  Share God’s love with your friends and family to encourage each other to live holy lives, full of grace and truth.

And, trusting God for everything, enter His rest.  He loves you more than you will ever know.