The Rusty Lock

I am reading a collection of sermons entitled, Gospel Fear, by the Puritan pastor, Jeremiah Burroughs (1599-1646).  In a message preached June 15, 1644 from 2 Kings 22:19, Burroughs states,

Many men's hearts are like rusty locks.  It takes a great deal of work to open them, especially if the key is not the right key and fitted to every notch.  But now come to a lock where the key is fitted to every notch fully and a child may turn it.  You can turn it with one of your fingers.  So the Lord sometimes, indeed, so speaks the Word to many men's hearts which are like rusty locks, so that the Word does not fit.  There are many notches in their hearts.  Many objections lie in their hearts against the Word so that the Word does not fit them, and so their hearts are not opened.  But at another time, the Lord is so pleased to direct His Word that He makes the key as fit for such a man's heart as can be, and then He opens it immediately.  In an instant, the heart of this man is opened that has been shut against God all the days of his life (page 89).

I think the thing that we have to remember in all of this is that God moves as he pleases.  When it pleases the Lord to "fit" the Word into a heart, it will fit.  The lock, rust or not, will open, and the soul will be free to serve.

This does not mean that we have nothing to do in these situations.  On the contrary, our actions are either pouring more water on the lock so that it rusts more, or they are oil the lock so that the key turns more easily.  When we listen to a message, or prepare to listen to one, we must keep in mind our objective.  Our objective is to hear from God.  We are to listen with attentiveness, we are to shake off distractions, we are to have our minds prepared for the event.

If we do not read the Bible throughout the week, it makes it much more difficult for us to understand the sermon.  We need to study it, as well as read it.  We need to search out the meaning of words we don't understand, or we may confuse the meaning of the passage we are reading.

Cherishing sin in our heart also causes the lock to rust more quickly.  If we are caught up in sin, it is more difficult for us to listen to messages that call us to righteousness.  Pride scoffs at humility.  Self-righteousness grits its teeth at grace.  We must continually ask the Lord to open our hearts to understand where sin is present in our lives, and how we can get rid of it.

Fellowship with God's people oils the lock.  By fellowship, I mean living in mutually encouraging and accountable relationships.  When we know one another, it is easier to confront sin or offer a word of encouragement it difficult times. 

Prayer is also vital to loosing the rusted lock.  As we pray for others our heart becomes tender toward them.  As we confess our sins, we remember that grace is needed by all, and that we should give it as readily as we seek it.  Prayer conforms to God's will (if we do it right). 

So what shape is your heart in?  Do you find the Word of God turning your heart toward him with great ease? Or our you an immovable fortress of self-reliance?  May it be, by his good pleasure, that he crack the lock of your heart with ease either way.