The other day I was reflecting on my memories of a camp in Vermont I attended each summer as a child. There we were expected to memorize what I considered to be a lengthy camp motto. To this day, I can recite the entire creed. The last line closes with the words, “to take home an open mind and a kind and caring heart.” Now that’s a pretty tall order for a camp of little girls! When these words passed through my mind the other day, I couldn’t help but wonder what a different world it might be if we all set aside more time to ponder the condition of our minds and hearts.
The Bible commands us to “love God with all our hearts, and all our minds and all our souls”. In Psalm 19 David prays, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable” to God. The prophet Ezekiel tells the Israelites that God’s spirit will mercifully give them a new heart. (Ezekiel 36:26).
The story of Exodus repeats many times that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. In Chapter 9 God had chosen Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt to the land of spiritual freedom. Moses and his brother Aaron appeared before Pharaoh several times urging him to release the Hebrews, but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he refused to listen to God’s messengers. Following six destructive plagues Moses warned Pharaoh of an impending devastating hail storm. In penitent desperation, Pharaoh responded, “I have sinned. Pray to the Lord for we have had enough. I will let you go.” (Exodus 9:27). Here, even Pharaoh seemed to have gotten the point, acknowledging God’s awesome power and his own sinful shortcomings. Once the storm cleared, however, Pharaoh revealed that this was merely a temporary change of heart and he rescinded his offer to release the Israelites.
How often in a time of need do we reach out to God with our whole heart promising to follow His will, only to later fall back on those commitments? This Lent I will ask God to help me set aside a quiet time each day to simply rest in His presence. I will pray that as I listen for His voice, my heart will be renewed and filled with Christ’s grace and compassion…that someday I might “ take home an open mind and a kind and caring heart,” eternally transformed by His Spirit.
—Judy Katri
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