Cold Hearts

I packed for the trip to NY, first to my folks, and then on to NY City for my book signing Nov. 13.(if you want an invitation, let me know and I will send you one!) I am not thrilled with the forecast. Snow is predicted on my dad's 85th birthday. I am contemplating bringing my skis. The lows will be around 30 every day, the highs never above 50. I have packed 4 coats, and my warmest pants. The van is chock full with wool and down...and I am the only occupant for this trip. Once again, I think this Global Warming has got to be the coldest fiery end to the earth EVER.

But I will go with a warm heart. My mission is to help clear the megatons of leaves from my parent's personal forest floor, celebrate dear Dad's big birthday, and drink hot tea in between. I am in the end-game of my new novel, the sequel to Bark of the Covenant, so I have packed my notes and will be anxious to see how it all will end. (It rarely follows my outline. In case you didn't know, books are living creatures that refuse to follow the guidelines the author sets for them.)

I was thinking about cold hearts and cold wintry days. I like the snow, but I am not nuts about cold. God isn't very keen on cold hearts either. In fact, He warns all of us that if we are not careful, our hearts will grow cold even if we are not traveling to the Northeast in November.

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

(Matthew 24:11-13)

Why does love grow cold? In the verse above, a few reasons are given: following false teaching, being deceived, and lawlessness or not abiding by the commands of God. A study of verses that pertain to cold or hardened hearts give us more clues. Hearts that grow cold to God do so over concealed sin (Proverbs 28), rebellion towards God (Hebrews 3), not listening to spiritual authority (Exodus 9), lack of perception and understanding (Mark 8), rejecting God (John 12), impurity (Psalm 119), perpetual sinning (1 John), and closing one's senses to the miracles and blessings of God that abound (Matthew 13.) This is just a small gleaning from God's word, but the common theme is when we ignore God's teaching and guidance, our hearts become shuttered further from Him.

Fortunately, winter will end. We can end the winter of our hearts much more rapidly than the winter season. If we take one step towards God, the thawing begins. The key to a warm heart is seeking God, hearing God, obeying God, and melting in His love.

Meanwhile, I have added a few boots, hats, gloves, and coats to my packing list as I perused the latest weather update for NY.
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Ephesians 4:18 

They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

Matthew 13:14-15 

Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Proverbs 28:13-14 

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. Blessed is the one who fears the Lord always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Hebrews 3:8 

Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,

Exodus 9:12

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

Mark 8:17 

And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?

Exodus 7:3

But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,

Jeremiah 17:9 

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?

Hebrews 4:12 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.