Today’s scripture: Proverbs 4:23-27 (NIV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Steve Adams):
Many homes and businesses are guarded with security systems. Every bank has a vault with thick walls, a big lock, and an alarm that automatically calls the police if it’s broken into. But what about your heart? Doesn’t it need some protection, too?
When I think of the heart, I think of that part of the mind where the deepest love, faith, and conviction reside. On the negative side, our hearts can also contain deep fear, hate, and jealousy. So, whatever’s in our heart determines what we’re really like, our essence.
God urges us to guard our hearts. How wise! Just by living in this world they need to be watched over and protected. This world contains a lot of suffering, selfishness, and plain disregard for anything truly good. The bright side is that Jesus Christ gives us lots of true love, joy, and peace that help us transcend the world. Still, it’s not easy. We’re in a battle here on good ol’ planet earth!
When I used to be a bank teller I was protected by a real live guard, who was stationed at the bank in the evening when the only other people in the building were me and another teller. Part of my job was to lock up the building after we closed at 7:30 pm. The guard would be right at my side as I locked the door, and then would watch as we walked to our cars in the dark. This helped protect us from any potential robber who might be lurking.
Isn’t The Message translation great on these verses? Verses 24-27 tell HOW to guard your heart. They’re so good I think I’ll put them on my refrigerator. How about you?
Philippians 4:6-7 also has great info on how to guard your heart: Don’t be anxious about anything, but give God your specific requests in prayer with thanksgiving, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will GUARD your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus! And, you know, God can do a much better job of guarding our hearts than any security guard or building alarm system!
Thought for the day: Lord, help me today to look neither to the right nor to the left, but directly at You, so that you can help me guard my heart.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. Use the item above as a starting point, or consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.