[The wicked] close up their callous hearts … (Psalm 17:10)

Jesus to his disciples:  Do you still not see or understand?  Are your hearts hardened?  (Mark 8:17)
 
As a student in college and graduate school, I spent countless hours gripping a writing utensil. I built up such a thick callus on the inside of my middle finger that it looked deformed. My husband, who plays guitar, cultivates calluses on the fingertips of his left hand so he can depress steel strings without pain.
 
Callous hands are caused by overuse; callous hearts are caused by disobedience. I deposit a layer of callus on my heart every time I refuse to deal fully with sin in my life. I may admit I’ve sinned and express sorrow over the consequences, but if I haven’t repented to the point of changing my sinful behavior, my heart-callus grows. The callus also thickens every time I hear God prompting me to do something but fail to obey. 
 
Prayer is a remedy for a callous heart. As you spend time in the Lord’s presence this week, opening your heart to Him, know that He, in His grace, is peeling away the layers of your heart-callus.
 
Here are suggestions for prayer this week:
 
1.  Praise God for the quality of His love. It is steadfast, not fickle; action, not just emotion; eternal, not only for today.
 
2.  Greg Hodgson has been in and out of the hospital in the last few weeks because of fluctuations in the viscosity of his blood. Ask for wisdom for his doctors to know why this is happening and how to correct it.
 
3.  Jack Brucks is back in the hospital and scheduled for a cardiac ablation today. Pray that the procedure will correct the heart arrhythmia he has been experiencing.
 
4.  Pray for Sam Dixon, who is recovering from surgery on her parathyroid, and for Esther Whitney, who is recovering from gall bladder surgery.
 
5.  Lord, remove any spirit of competition, any sibling rivalry, from among Your children.
 
6.  As the presidential primary season heats up, ask the Lord to remind you and all of us that we will find no savior in the political arena.   
 
7.  Lift up the many people at Calvary who are caring for elderly parents. Ask for the wisdom they need to help while respecting independence and for the resources of time and energy they need to be a blessing to their parents.


In Christ,
Carol Gilbert, Prayer Chair
Calvary Community Church of Brea