Ministry at the Remar Center is extremely difficult, challenging, and emotionally and spiritually intense. What these children, these innocent children and their families have been through is more than one’s heart can take. As we are surrounded by this brokenness day in and day out, we find the condition of our own hearts growing weary. For some, the stories sound all too familiar. For some, our hearts feel the immense amount of pain and distrust of their hearts. For some, compassion continually pours out for each one of them.
And so we spent the entire day in prayer. We prayed for them and we prayed for each other. GOD led me to Hebrews 3:12-15, See to it, brothers, 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 we hold firmly till the end of the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: “Today, if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”
I meditated on this scripture as I prayed, for it speaks specifically about the heart. This world has caused many, through their sufferings and pain, to harden their hearts defensively in protection. I thought of the term “calloused” hearts. Calluses form in protection from intense pressure, from rough use, from repetitive wear and tear. And so after the heart grows tired from pain, sorrow, rejection, it can easily become calloused, hardened. But praise GOD it is not impenetrable. For GOD can soften hearts. His Love and Truth can penetrate even the most hardened of hearts. And that is my prayer for these children and these families. That their hearts once again come alive and are vulnerable in HIM, the only One whose love is unfailing.
