Lord, give us soft hearts!

This powerful exploration of Exodus 7 confronts us with a sobering reality: seeing miracles doesn't automatically produce faith. When Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh, they witnessed something extraordinary. Aaron's staff became a serpent that devoured the magicians' serpents, a clear demonstration of God's superior power. Yet Pharaoh's heart remained hard. This ancient account reveals a timeless truth about human nature and our relationship with the divine. We discover that God validates His message through four compelling means: answered prayers, miracles, eyewitness testimony, and personal transformation. These signs continue today, from cancer diagnoses that mysteriously disappear to lives radically changed by encountering Christ. But here's the uncomfortable question we must face: what if the reason we don't believe isn't lack of evidence, but unwillingness to pay the cost? Pharaoh knew acknowledging God meant losing his economy, his power, his entire worldview. Similarly, we sometimes resist God not because we need more proof, but because surrender feels too expensive. The passage challenges us to examine whether we're clinging to control, comfort, or identity at the expense of truth. Yet there's profound hope woven throughout: without divine intervention, all our hearts are as hard as Pharaoh's. We were spiritually dead, unable even to reach out for salvation. But God specializes in giving new hearts, making the dead alive through His Spirit. This isn't about our ability to choose correctly or work hard enough. It's about recognizing our complete dependence on God's transforming power and humbly asking Him to soften our hearts.