“Blinded Eyes, Hardened Hearts, and the Legacy of Truth”
Scripture Focus:
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’” — Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)
Welcome
Wrapped in a blanket, coffee in hand, I sat down in my usual quiet space… and God met me there. The words started flowing, and I wrote the first devotional for a new series I didn’t even know I was starting. I titled it Coffee, Covenant & Grace.
The purpose has always been simple — to create a space where hearts can pause, breathe, and be reminded of the God who meets us in both our quiet corners and our busiest days. Each devotional is a fresh invitation to join me here, whether you’ve been reading from the beginning or are just finding your way into this space. My prayer is that, as you read, you feel welcomed into my living room — coffee poured, blanket ready — and that your heart is seen, your burdens lighter, and your spirit drawn closer to the One who has never once let you go.
If this is your first time here, or if you’ve been walking with me from the beginning, this is a place for all of us — a place to pause, to breathe, and to remember the God who still speaks in our chaos and our silence.
But this morning, the quiet felt heavier than usual — as if even the sunrise hesitated to break through. Have you ever woken up and felt the weight of the world pressing on your chest before the day has even begun? That was me today.
And yet in that stillness, the Lord met me with this verse: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, NKJV).
Isn’t that what we need most right now? Today of all days, we need Him to supply clarity when confusion swirls, mercy when the world grows harder, and hope when the days feel darkest. We need Him to remind us that our deepest need is always Him — His Word, His presence, His truth. To know the truth. To believe the truth. To stand firm in the truth — which is the Word of God.
Blinded Eyes and Hardened Hearts
The weight I feel today is not new. Scripture shows us again and again what happens when people resist God’s truth.
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (Exodus 9:12). The Pharisees and Sadducees stood face to face with the Son of God, yet refused to see. Jesus said of them, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matthew 15:8, NKJV).
Hardened hearts are not only a story of the past — they are the reality of today. When truth confronts us and we resist, when light shines and we choose darkness, we are walking the same path. The warning of Scripture is that blindness doesn’t begin in the eyes, it begins in the heart. Yet even in their blindness, Jesus longed for them to turn and see. That same longing remains for us — His mercy is wide enough for even the hardest heart.
A world full of lips that shout “justice” and “compassion” while hearts are cold to truth — we are living it. Jesus also said, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (John 3:19–20, NKJV).
It’s easy to see the blindness in our culture — but where has my own heart resisted His truth? Where have I chosen comfort over obedience, convenience over conviction, or silence over courage? Where have I traded the living Word for the easier words of the world?
Sacrificing Our Children & Serving False Gods
God’s people once offered their children at the gates to Molech (Leviticus 18:21, Jeremiah 32:35). Unthinkable, and yet it happened. And today, in different forms, it still happens — children sacrificed to violence, to neglect, to the ideologies of the age.
Isaiah warned of this when he said, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20, NKJV). The same enemy who whispered in Eden is still twisting truth today. His desire has never changed: “I will be like the Most High”(Isaiah 14:14, NKJV). When society shouts louder for the one who kills than for the one who was killed, we are bowing to him, not to the living God.
The psalmist wrote it this way: “They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons, and shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters…” (Psalm 106:37–38, NKJV). What broke God’s heart then still breaks His heart now.
And here’s the hard truth: when we turn a blind eye to sin, when we remain silent, when we serve the gods of comfort, self, or culture, we too are guilty of compromise. But the love of Jesus does not leave us in guilt — He calls us back.
I know this so personally because I once went searching for “something more.” My search even led me to an ashram. While I appreciated the quiet moments of inner reflection, I could not ignore what I saw — people bowing down and giving reverence to a statue, a god made by human hands. In that moment, standing outside of that temple, God opened my eyes. I realized I was chasing healing, peace, and relief from years of loss and, if I am honest, years of anger at God for not seeming to help me. I turned to crystals and other worldly objects, hoping they could restore what was broken, but they never could. Only the One True God can do that. And in that very moment, He broke through the fog of deception. He showed me that He alone heals, He alone redeems, and He alone satisfies. From that day, I have never looked back.
Just as He opened my eyes and called me out of false hopes, He calls all of us to turn back — to repent, to return, and to find strength in Him alone. This is why the call to repentance is not just for those in the past, but for us today — to return to God with our whole hearts and find strength in Him alone. As Joel 2:13 (NKJV) reminds us, “Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.”
Called to Repentance and Strength
But Jesus. He steps into the blindness with a call: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV). He tells us the way is narrow and few find it (Matthew 7:14). He calls us to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). It is not easy — but it is the only way that leads to life.
When I was growing up, my parents often said, “I’m not disappointed in you as a person, but in what you’ve done.” That has stayed with me because it reflects the heart of God. He doesn’t condemn us as people, but He does call us out of sin.
Jesus loved the outcasts, touched the untouchables, sat with tax collectors and sinners. But He didn’t leave them where He found them. He said, “Go, and sin no more” (John 8:11, NKJV). Compassion with truth. Mercy with holiness. That’s our call too.
And here’s the hope: God has not left us powerless. He has given us His Spirit so we can face the enemy head-on. “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10–11, NKJV). Like John the Baptist in the wilderness, we are called to lift our voices, to call sin what it is, and to point people back to repentance. Ours is not a weak, watered-down faith — it is a bold faith, because our God is not weak. He is merciful, yes, but also a God of justice and vengeance (Romans 12:19).
And when the weight feels too heavy, we look to Jesus: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV). His love gives us strength to endure, and His mercy reminds us that every return is welcome.
Reflection
As I sit with these words, I feel the tension between the heaviness of the world and the hope of Christ. This week reminded me how quickly evil is excused and how rarely truth is defended. A young woman named Iryna Zarutska, only 23 years old, fled her homeland of Ukraine to escape war and seek safety here. She came to Charlotte with her mother and siblings, hoping for a new life, while her father remained in Ukraine because of the war.
Iryna worked at a local pizzeria, and she was attending Rowan-Cabarrus Community College to pursue her dream of becoming a veterinary assistant. She loved animals deeply, often caring for her neighbors’ pets. She also carried a creative side, having already earned a degree in art and restoration from a college in Kyiv. In every way, her life was filled with promise — hard work, beauty, compassion, and hope. She was someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, a young woman with dreams still unfolding. And now, her story has been cut short.
And yet, on the Lynx Blue Line light rail in Charlotte, North Carolina, returning home from work, her life was stolen in an act of senseless violence. What horrifies me most is not just the act itself, but the silence. The lack of response. How can a society be so quick to excuse evil and so slow to mourn the innocent? Isaiah’s words echo: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20, NKJV).
Not long after, the public murder of Charlie Kirk — a young man who spent his life urging others to stand on biblical truth. He was bold, honest, unafraid of opposition, and a voice for a generation. In one of his last interviews, he said: “I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be the most important thing; the most important thing is my faith.” That’s legacy. That’s conviction. That’s the kind of voice we need more than ever. Jesus told us this would happen: “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20, NKJV). Charlie’s life reminds us that the cost is real, but so is the reward.
Two very different lives. A refugee seeking peace. A leader standing for truth. Both taken by evil. Both reminding us that this world is not as it should be — and that our hope must be in Christ alone.
As I was driving through communities this week, I noticed signs in yards welcoming immigrants. And my heart went back to my own story — my children are half of that immigrant story. Their father and much of his family came to this country as immigrants. They lived in their communities, worked hard, contributed, and yet somehow kept their rich heritage alive while embracing the opportunities America offered. They came with hope, with dreams, and they came legally, grateful for the freedom this nation has always represented. America has long been a place where those fleeing oppression could find refuge, and in so many ways, it still is.
But I’ve also watched how, little by little, that freedom has begun to erode. The values we were founded upon — values rooted in biblical truth — are being replaced with the values of the world. It breaks my heart to see how far we’ve drifted. We now live in a culture that tells us we can change even what God has written into our very DNA, that we can redefine His design and still flourish. But the Word of God is clear: when we exchange His truth for a lie, we are left empty (Romans 1:25).
I share this not to debate politics, but because my heart aches at how far our culture has drifted from God’s design. It’s not about laws or parties — it’s about hearts. And as believers, we are called to stand in that tension. To mourn what is broken, but also to cling tightly to hope. To grieve over sin, but also to speak truth in love.
As I watched these stories unfold, I couldn’t help but think of my grandchildren. What kind of world are we leaving them if we shrink back from truth? That thought alone brought both tears and resolve. I cannot be silent — not when their future, and their faith, are at stake.
And then I hear the voice of Jesus reminding me: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NKJV). Even in the darkest of days, His truth still shines. His Spirit still strengthens. His hope still holds.
So I must ask not just myself but you as well: Are we willing to stand when it costs us? Are we willing to be bold, to pick up our cross daily, to follow Jesus when the crowd is shouting lies?” These questions aren’t easy, but they are necessary. Because our legacy is being written right now — in the choices we make, the truth we hold to, and the faith we refuse to let go of. And the good news is this: Jesus’ love is big enough to cover our failures and strong enough to carry us when we falter.
The Weight of Legacy
Legacy is not about applause. It is about obedience. Not about platforms. About faithfulness. And if there was ever a moment in history when we needed faithful obedience, it is now.
The legacy we leave behind begins in our homes. It is carried in the faith we live out daily before our children and grandchildren. They are watching how we stand, how we pray, how we respond when the world grows dark. Legacy is not a speech on a stage but a life that whispers truth into the next generation.
What about us? What will our families remember? Will they say we stood for Christ even when it was costly? Or that we shrank back into silence when the world grew loud with lies?
This is where legacy is written — in obedience to God, in courage to hold to His truth, and in love that endures. If there was ever a time to live faithfully for those who come after us, it is now. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children…” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7, NKJV).
The Hope of the Cross
Here’s where hope breaks through. What had once been a half-hearted faith in God became a holy fire — an out-of-the-box awareness of His deliverance and a willingness to walk boldly in the season He has called me to. As Revelation 3:16 (NKJV) warns, “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” I know what it means to drift in compromise, but I also know what it means to be set ablaze by His Spirit. That fire cannot be quenched, and I will not go back.
Jesus came to be the salt — to change, to preserve, to awaken hearts that had gone astray. He came to bring light to the darkness, truth to the lies, mercy to the broken. And He came to be brutally murdered for the sins of the world, so that through His death and resurrection we could be reconciled to God again.
The world preaches that the only way is the way of culture — acceptance of everything, compromise at all costs. That is a lie. The wide road leads to death, but the narrow way of Christ leads to life (Matthew 7:13–14).
One day, as my husband’s upcoming song declares, every person will see God face to face. “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God” (Romans 14:11, NKJV). You may be a Pharisee or a Sadducee. You may be the outcast. You may believe your education, your success, or your open-minded acceptance of all things will get you to heaven. But it won’t. The only way is through Jesus Christ.
Jesus said it plainly: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV).
It is easier said than done. Because following Him means laying down our pride, turning from sin, and living each day in obedience. But it is the only way to eternal life.
When society calls the murderer the victim, when believers are mocked or modern-day crucified for biblical values, we are not seeing Christ. We are seeing the spirit of the Pharisees and Sadducees rise again. And yet — even on the cross — Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34, NKJV).
That is our hope. That is our call. That is the legacy we must carry forward: bold faith, repentant hearts, unwavering truth, and a love so strong it even forgives.
Journaling Prompts
- Where am I tempted to follow the wide road instead of the narrow path?
- What sins or habits do I need to turn from so I can walk more fully with Christ?
- How do I want my children and grandchildren to remember my faith?
- Where is God calling me to stand boldly, even if it costs me?
- Where have I resisted His truth in my own heart, and how is He inviting me back today?
Closing Though
Evil may be loud, but it is never final. The cross reminds us that truth still stands, love still forgives, and Jesus still reigns — and one day every knee will bow before Him.
And yet, His call is not only for one day in eternity — it is for today. Throughout history, God has pleaded with His people to return to Him. He sent prophets and messengers — Ezekiel, Daniel, Moses, Haggai, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and so many more — each carrying the same message: turn back to God, repent, and live.
That same call still echoes for us today. As a nation, as families, as individuals, we cannot keep walking in rebellion and expect blessing. We cannot exchange truth for lies and expect peace. But if we repent, if we turn back, if we humble ourselves before Him, God is faithful to forgive and to heal. “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14, NKJV).
Prayer
Lord, our hearts are heavy with the evil we see all around us — the loss of innocent lives, the twisting of truth, the hardening of hearts. And yet, we thank You for the hope of the cross. Thank You that in Jesus we have a Savior who came as salt and light, who brings truth, who calls us out of sin, and who opens the way back to the Father.
Forgive us, Lord, for the times we have been silent when we should have spoken, for the moments we have compromised instead of standing firm. Forgive us for chasing after comfort when You have called us to carry a cross.
Strengthen us by Your Spirit. Give us courage to stand boldly, even when it costs us. Help us to live with conviction, to be voices crying out in the wilderness, and to pass on a legacy of faith, truth, and love to our children and grandchildren.
Lord, we lift up our families and our nation to You. Heal what is broken. Expose what is false. Restore what has been lost. Turn hearts back to You, starting with ours. Let Your mercy cover us, and let Your truth guide us.
And may we never forget that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Until that day, may we be found faithful — watching, waiting, and working with hearts set ablaze by Your Spirit.
In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.
With devotion from my quiet corner,
Marie
(When you pray this for yourself, feel free to make it your own — and sign your own name at the end as a reminder that God’s promises are personal to you.)
tennesseerootsblog 
One response to “Sunday Morning Coffee, Covenant & Grace”
Amen ~ Rosie
LikeLike