Don’t Take Him for Granted

Verse: Matthew 13:14-17:
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a]

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Devotion
This passage brings up the prophecy from Isaiah 6, where God used one person, Isaiah, to deliver His message. Back then, God spoke to people through chosen prophets, and those messages weren’t always easy to hear. In this case, God is saying that the people would ignore Him—their hearts would stay hard, their ears closed, and their eyes shut. It’s a tough reality, but even in the Old Testament, God always gave hints about a brighter future—a time when the Messiah would come to restore the broken connection between humanity and God.

Now, fast forward about 770 years. JESUS is quoting this same prophecy. He knew Israel’s messy history and the patterns of people turning away from God. But He also knew what was coming—something entirely new. Jesus was showing the disciples that they were living in a time that so many people before them had dreamed about.

Honestly, this makes me think about how easy it is for us to take things for granted. We live in a time when we can be closer to God than ever before. Through Jesus, we have full access to Him anytime we want. But let’s be real—how often do we let distractions, busyness, or even our own stubbornness keep us from leaning into that? How often do we let our hearts grow cold, just like the people Isaiah talked about?

Here’s my challenge for you (and for me): Don’t miss this. Take advantage of the fact that we can have a personal relationship with God. Spend some extra time in prayer today. Give a little more of yourself to Him. Let’s not let this incredible gift pass us by.

Author: Joanna Martin