Living with a baker in lockdown means there’s a lot of cake. I’m sure you’ll agree that cake is most delicious when eaten the day it’s baked, but leave it on the counter and it’ll soon dry out and harden.

“Today, if only you would hear his voice, “Do not harden your hearts…” (Psalm 95:7b-8a NIV)

If you want to stop cake from drying out and hardening then you have to think carefully about what you’re surrounding it with and where you’re placing it. You can’t leave it for a week and then pop it in Tupperware. That’s too late. If it’s to stay fit for purpose and soft then an appropriate habitat for the cake is needed at once.

Action is needed today.

Much like our hearts, if we want to stop them from hardening then we too need to consider where we’re placing our hearts and what we’re surrounding them with. The Hebrews writer knew the importance of today in guarding our hearts from sin and the necessity of others being involved in the process. Left to our own devices we are easily deceived, distracted and dissatisfied. Our hearts quickly start to dry out as sin takes its hold. But in community, we are exhorted to “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,”” (Hebrews 3:13 NLT) so that we can keep our hearts soft, pliable, free and ready to respond as we hear Jesus’ voice.

Have you left your heart exposed recently? Is it hardening in the atmosphere of unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, distraction, pride, skewed priorities, envy or selfishness? Don’t leave it there any longer. Come into the atmosphere of God’s presence today and see if he won’t take your “heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26 NIV).