"They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts." Ephesians 4:18 NIV

All of the beauty of spring surrounds us now. Gone are the cold days of winter with snow and sleet. Somehow spring has escaped me though. Tuesday morning it was in the forties, and today we are in the eighties. Isn't this temperature indicative of Summer? The trees don't have any leaves yet, so I guess it is spring.

Why has spring left us? Did we do something wrong? Is it because of global warming or is there another reason? I would like to know but I think it is an enigma. It doesn't matter I suppose as long as it doesn't make my taxes go up. Ha Ha! 

Paul is pretty clear about the gentiles who are outside of the faith. A hardened heart is a wall that is impossible to climb or jump. When a person doesn't want to know God is there anything we can do to persuade them otherwise? Yes but it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with God.

Love is what will bring down a hardened heart.Don't try to do it yourself because you might get frustrated, angry and loose your patience. This doesn't help us or the other person. In fact, it probably hurts the other person's chance of seeing God in you.

Before we take on loving the unlovely we must first have a good soaking in God's word. Ephesians is the perfect spot. "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love." Ephesians 4:2 

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all  the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17b-19

The love of God breaks down walls, and changes hardened hearts to be soft. He is working on mine and yours too. Let Him have His way. You will be glad that you did. Have a good soak!