Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
From Proverbs 3 and 4 NIV
Webster gives us 43 definitions for heart. One might consider the first definition: "a hollow, pumplike organ of blood circulation, composed mainly of rhythmically contractile smooth muscle, located in the chest between the lungs and slightly to the left..." and infer that God is telling us to eat a cardiac diet; no red meat, no skin of fish, no skin of fowl and no shellfish; to loose weight and to exercise regularly.
Certainly God is concerned with our hollow pumplike organ, and in His desire for the best for our bodies, his temple; we can be certain that our physiologic heart is well within his circle of concern, care and love for us. If we do guard our physiologic heart, our paths will certainly be straighter, for our paths would have fewer trips, detours, to the doctor's office. Somehow, doubts may arise over this being the main take home message of the passages.
Among other, more sage, definitions of heart are: the center of the total personality, intuition, feeling or emotion; the capacity for sympathy, feeling, compassion; the innermost central part of anything; or spirit, courage, enthusiasm. Somehow, these verses seem to be more appropriately aimed at our center, our capacity to care, to sympathize, our source of courage.
God, in love, wants our hearts to grow in Him, to be pure, and to be prepared for the Spirit to work on and work through, so that we can reflect, show, and convey love to others in need, in loss, and in darkness.
For this to happen, some lines (paraphrased) from hymns come to mind: we need to seek God first and then much will be added to us or things of the world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. Focusing on God first, will keep life in perspective and will make our paths straight. Even healthier!
In guarding your heart there is a balance between defensiveness and offensiveness; between turning the other cheek and turning over the tables of the money changers. Ask for the Spirit's guidance in achieving the appropriate balance.
What are you trusting in for life, for salvation?
How are you taking care of and guarding your heart?
Pray to be given the opportunities, the strength and the courage to trust in the Lord, and not lean on your own understanding.
In Christ,
David P
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