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A Jewish proverb says:

“When the eyes don’t see, the heart won’t feel.”

To the people of His day, Jesus said:

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”   (Matthew 13:14 NIV)

He had been sharing with the people, telling them parables, in an attempt to open their understanding. Yet they failed to grasp what He was telling them.

How did they get to this point? Jesus tells us …

“For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.”Â  (Matthew 13:15a NIV).

Their hearts had become calloused. Calloused. The thickening of an external layer of skin which forms in order to withstand pressure or fiction. It is the body’s way of handling pressure, or friction, without having to feel constant pain.

But the result is something hard and unattractive. We usually want to cover up our callouses, using a pumice stone or lotions to smooth and soften the skin once again.

The same is true of our hearts. When they become calloused, they harden. We become unfeeling towards God and others. In trying to prevent ourselves from feeling further pressure or pain, we prevent ourselves from feeling what is necessary and needed in our lives ”“ God.

Jesus goes on to further explain the result of their calloused hearts:

“Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.”Â  (Matthew 13:15b NIV).

Their own callous hearts stood in the way of their healing. Our own callous hearts will stand in the way of our receiving what we need from God as well.

Jesus had this to say to those whose hearts had remained soft towards Him and His Word:

“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”
(Matthew 13:16 NIV). 

Blessed. We are blessed when we have eyes that see and ears that hear. Blessed……

Biblically, one is pronounced blessed when God is present and involved in his life. The hand of God is at work directing all his affairs for a divine purpose … Blessedness is sharing in the life of God, being favorably affected and influenced by God. (New Testament Lexical Aids).

 “Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.”

https://youtu.be/RgRhIzx3CU8

 

Today I am joining … Grace Moments and #ChasingCommunity and Heart Encouragement Thursday and Tune In Thursday .