Author: Erin Newton

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Stubborn Hearts are Hard Hearts

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 16.11-12
11 Then you will answer them, ‘Because your ancestors abandoned me—this is the Lord’s declaration—and followed other gods, served them, and bowed in worship to them. Indeed, they abandoned me and did not keep my instruction. 12 You did more evil than your ancestors. Look, each one of you was following the stubbornness of his evil heart, not obeying me.


Reflection: Stubborn Hearts are Hard Hearts
By Erin Newton

What can be worse than the worst? There is a sort of irony in this message. Jeremiah’s ancestors had worshiped idols, bowing to the stone and metal they had created. When it comes to high-handedly sinning against God, idolatry is typically the direst example of such sin. Yet, God declares that Jeremiah’s generation is more wicked. What sin can outdo the waywardness of idolatry? Stubbornness. 

The word used for stubbornness is often translated as “hardness of heart.” It is the type of heart that Ezekiel later calls a heart of stone and compares it with a new heart of flesh. It is a self-reliant heart. It is a heart that cannot be corrected, trained, or rebuked. The stubborn person listens only to himself or herself. The stubborn person is confident of oneself and obstinate toward God. 

God was not pleased with the ancestors who had worshiped idols. They broke the first commandment blatantly and without shame. There is within this text the sense that God has always stood by, ready to bestow mercy and forgiveness despite their wayward hearts. We have seen his graciousness over and over in the Old Testament but the tone changes when the people defiantly refuse to change their ways. 

All sins can be enticing in some way or another. The lure of luxury and ease. The seduction of physical pleasure. The appeal of control and power. Stubbornness chooses the pleasure that sin offers over the willingness to cut off one’s hand or pluck out one’s eye for the sake of Christ. (Matthew 5.29)

Beneath the outward expression of stubbornness is a foundation of pride. When we choose pride over humility, we claim to know what is best for ourselves. Pride calcifies the sensitivity of our souls making them callous to conviction. Pride leaves us unable to admit our faults or seek forgiveness. 

How do we prevent stubbornness from taking hold of our hearts? Humility is the answer. We need humility to trust God to deliver us from evil when we are led into temptation. We need humility to accept that we will always fall short. 

Let us ask God to continuously chip away the callous self-reliant edges of our hearts. Let us trust God for what he has done and what he has promised to do. With a heart of flesh, a heart softened to follow Christ, we can live with open hands ready to follow him. 

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe, for you are my crag and my stronghold; for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me. — Psalm 31.3

– From The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summertime by Phyllis Tickle.

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 16(Listen -3:52)
1 Thessalonians 1(Listen – 1:27)

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Hardened hearts happen in stages. Our choices matter. Our hearts are hardened or softened day after day.

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Readers’ Choice is Coming!
We need to know your favorite posts from the past 12 months. Even if all you have to say is, “It blessed me,” share it with us and we’ll share it with others.

Readers’ Choice 2025
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To Kill a Prophet

Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 11.18-19
18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted against me, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
    let us cut him off from the land of the living,
    that his name be remembered no more.”

Reflection: To Kill a Prophet
By Erin Newton

There is a risk when you confront bad behavior or rebuke fellow believers. Sin has a way of infecting our hearts so that, as with Frodo or Bilbo Baggins, anyone suggesting we take off the evil ring is met with a darkened, menacing face screaming that friends are out to get us. Jeremiah’s neighbors sought to kill him because he told the people they carried evil around their necks.

What exactly is Jeremiah preaching that causes people to be so upset? There is no new law or new method of worshiping God. He calls them to devote themselves to God alone and to love their neighbors as themselves. This would mean being more benevolent, more gracious, less self-centered, less like the world around them, and more mindful of the covenant to which they were bound.

The language Jeremiah uses to describe the treachery against him is much like Isaiah’s depiction of the suffering servant. Like a gentle lamb, the suffering servant would go quietly to his death. Christ is that servant. Just like Jeremiah, Christ is persecuted for calling the people to live rightly. Some who hear these rebukes clutch at their sins and are poisoned by pride.

When we sit in the pews each Sunday, listen to podcasts about Christian living, or talk with our friends about the current state of Christianity, we will be faced with a call to examine our hearts. We may feel the sting of conviction and the pangs of guilt as the Spirit moves in our souls. When our hearts are darkened to counsel, we may instinctively want to bow up against such preaching. Like Peter in the garden, we might want to pull out a sword and cut the first person in our reach.

Whether we are calling our friends back to truth or hearing the rebuke of a preacher, let us be encouraged by the gentle lamb who walked this way before us.

If in the place of Jeremiah’s friends, angered and resistant to the words of truth, take time with the Spirit to listen. Let the Lord soften our hearts so that we can be shaped to his will. Put away the proverbial swords: the vengeful posts or the angry conversations.

Christ, the gentle lamb, was slaughtered by those who could not stand being corrected. Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to want to kill the prophets. (Matthew 23.29-37)

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading
Jesus taught us, saying: But I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To anyone who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek as well; to anyone who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for property back from someone who takes it. Treat others as you would like people to treat you. — Luke 6.27-31

Today’s Readings
Jeremiah 11(Listen -4:09)
Galatians 2(Listen – 3:44)

Read more

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“Your fathers,” Jesus says, “would not have minded the prophets either, if the prophets were dead.

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Readers’ Choice is Coming!
Tell us about your favorite posts from the past 12 months. Even if all you have to say is, “It blessed me,” share it with us and we’ll share it with others.

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Our Hearts Burn Within

Scripture Focus: Luke 24.31-32
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

From John: As we prepare for Student Writers to take us through the book of Acts, we continue through the last three chapters of Luke’s gospel. Don’t forget that, beginning tomorrow, July 15, and continuing through August 10th, approximately 90% of donations to The Park Forum will be directed to scholarships/stipends for these talented students. Give during this time to support our ministry and theirs.

Reflection: Our Hearts Burn Within
By Erin Newton

Rembrandt painted the scene from Luke 24 on two separate occasions. The 1629 version of “The Supper at Emmaus’‘ depicts the reaction of the two men upon the revelation of Jesus’ identity. One man responds in astonishment, face illumined by the divine glow of Jesus. The other has fallen to Jesus’ feet. This version seems to capture the wonderment, “were not our hearts burning within us…?”

After the women had visited the tomb of Jesus on the third day, Luke 24 describes the meeting of Jesus with two other disciples on the road to Emmaus. While traveling, the men had not recognized Jesus and treated him as a stranger. Yet as they talked about the recent crucifixion, this “stranger” began to educate them about the cohesive message of the Old Testament with the recent events.

Once they entered Emmaus and convinced him to stay for dinner, only then were they able to see the man as Jesus himself.

A small miracle had taken place on the road to Emmaus that day. Jesus, truly present in physical form with the signs of the crucifixion scarring his body, could not be recognized. The man these two disciples had spent years following was obscured in their minds.

The journey together likely lasted for hours. The mind-boggling, incomprehensive death of Jesus was now explained as part of the larger story of God’s work in history. All the questions they had were being answered by the man they did not really know.

For many of us, we might hear the words of Christ without seeing him as the divine Savior. We read about Jesus but remain convinced he’s a stranger to our lives. There is a difference between hearing Jesus answer questions about life and seeing Jesus as the answer to questions of life.

When that moment comes, he’s no longer “just a good teacher.” He’s Jesus, our Savior.

When Moses had spent time upon the mountain in the presence of God, his face glowed intensely. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt at the presence of Jesus in the womb of Mary. Like the men on the road, our hearts burn when we are in the presence of God.

Jesus disappeared the moment the men recognized who he was. They would wait for the Spirit to come and dwell within their burning hearts. For us, we recognize Jesus and receive the Helper instantaneously. 

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence
O God of hosts, show us the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. — Psalm 80.7

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 42 (Listen -4:11)
Luke 24 (Listen -6:16)

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Wisdom & Persuasion

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 36.10-11
10 “… Furthermore, have I come to attack and destroy this land without the Lord? The Lord himself told me to march against this country and destroy it.’”
11 Then Eliakim, Shebna and Joah said to the field commander, “Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, since we understand it. Don’t speak to us in Hebrew in the hearing of the people on the wall.”

Reflection: Wisdom & Persuasion
By Erin Newton

The book of Isaiah breaks from the prophetic oracles of judgment. Sennacherib and the Assyrians taunted the Israelites, calling their confidence into question. Not only that, but they humiliated the Israelites’ leaders. Every jab was within earshot and in the common language of the people.

Assyria was stoking the people’s fear. Subduing another nation was simplified if they could be convinced to give up and take the short-term compromise.

The leaders of Israel attempted to hide the conversation by asking to change to a lesser-known language. They either wanted to save face or protect the people against being drawn into fear-mongering rhetoric. The leaders were embarrassed that someone would openly mock them. Furthermore, targeting fear was a potent tactic.

Some of what the Assyrians shouted was true. Isaiah prophesied that Assyria would be sent as a rod of God’s judgment (Isaiah 10.5-6). Israelites would recognize the prophet’s words in the mouths of the Assyrians. The temptation to believe what they said hung upon these partial truths.

What happens when an argument holds some elements of truth? Not all ethical and moral dilemmas we face are straightforward issues. What do we do with the myriad of nuances that each situation provides? Should Israel save their neighbors and children from impending death by surrendering?

The fatal flaw to Assyria’s tactic was their degradation of God. Their appeals to compromise could have convinced several Israelites. Belittling God, calling him just another conquered deity, allowed the Israelites to see through the propaganda.

From all sides, there are voices demanding our attention and allegiance. Sometimes there is pressure to let go of beliefs and embrace convenience. How do we discern the voice of the enemy from the voice of the prophet?

What we learn here is crucial. How God is represented can be an indicator of motives. The Assyrians claimed God was a nobody. Isaiah heralded the supremacy of God. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14.1).

We have faced major ethical issues in the last few weeks. People have demonstrated online and in the streets to persuade the world of one perspective or another. It can be intimidating. As the voices continue to shout, let us listen for how the message represents our God. Does it support our God who calls us to love others, administer justice, care for the weak, and pledge our allegiance to him alone?

Lord, give us wisdom.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous stumble. — Psalm 55.24

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 36 (Listen -4:00)
Luke 18 (Listen -5:27)

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Two Roads Diverged in Barren Land

Scripture Focus: Isaiah 35:8a
8 And a highway will be there;
    it will be called the Way of Holiness;
    it will be for those who walk on that Way.

Reflection: Two Roads Diverged in Barren Land
By Erin Newton

At the end of Isaiah’s long prophecy of judgment, the message shifts. A vision of the future—a vision of all things made right.

Isaiah describes God’s people like a caravan along a road in the wasteland. Distraught and downtrodden, a new path is cut through the desert.

      One path is silent, cold, and stark.
            The Way is filled with praise and joy.

      One path is a road winding down into a desolate land.
            The Way cuts through the wasteland leaving signs of life along the way.

      One path is burdensome and hard, a place where strength and hearts fail.
            The Way whispers, “Peace, be still. He is coming to save.”

      One path is often difficult; strength and ability are stolen away.
            The Way makes one whole; it heals the body and soul.

      One path is deadly; there is nothing to sustain life.
            The Way turns death into life; it has everything needed to thrive.

      One path is traveled by wicked and dangerous people.
            The Way is filled with redeemed travelers singing songs of praise.

      One path is marked by hopeless sorrow and afflicted groans.
            The Way bestows burgeoning gladness and eternal joy.

Like the poem by Robert Frost, two roads diverge. To continue on our usual path would mean continuing in a fruitless journey, exiled from God. But how exactly do we step onto the path that leads to life?

When Jesus warns his disciples that he must leave soon to return to the Father, Thomas asks for a roadmap to heaven (John 14). “How will we know the way?” Jesus simply replied, “I am the Way.” The path to life is through Jesus himself.

Even though Isaiah described a marvelous future promised to God’s people, we struggle to see this kind of utopian future now. The flowers are not bursting forth in song. The blind and lame and deaf are without healing. Ravenous beasts meet us on the road to harm us.

The Way of Holiness is a via dolorosa, a difficult path. Our Lord walked this path to redeem us from death. Let us take up our crosses to follow the Way.  It is not without hope.

We take the first steps of this new road paved by the blood of Jesus. The world around us still shows signs of desolation and despair but the word in the air says, “Peace, he is coming.” The Way is good.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse
The Lord is my shepherd and nothing is wanting to me. In green pastures he has settled me. — The Short Breviary

Today’s Readings
Isaiah 35 (Listen -1:43)
Luke 17 (Listen -4:22)

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