Guard Your Heart

My son, give attention to my words;Incline your ear to my sayings.Do not let them depart from your eyes;Keep them in the midst of your heart;For they are life to those who find them,And health to all their flesh.Keep your heart with all diligence;For out of it spring the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:20-23 (NKJV)

The importance of the heart is the topic of today.

The New Living Translation Bible says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.” Ladies, this may be some of the most important advice we’ll ever receive. For us as women, our hearts are places of great vulnerability; on the other hand, they’re also places of tenderness, compassion, and love.

And so may I ask you, what is the state of your heart? Do you have a broken heart, or a wounded heart? Do you have a troubled heart, a weary heart, an empty heart? Worse yet, do you have a cold, hard, or bitter heart?

In our proverb today God himself, our Father God, our Great Physician, gives us his prescription, his healing balm, the Word of God.

God’s Word cleanses. It frees our hearts. It softens and restores. It’s surgically sharp and can actually completely and permanently heal our hearts. We must also know that God’s Word guards our hearts with truth. It’s the antidote for the lie. God’s Word is the Sword of the Spirit that defends and protects. It’s light that gives our hearts hope; therefore, keep your heart with all diligence, “for out of it spring the issues of life.”

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

There is lots of advice out there for emotional and spiritual brokenness. Take a pill, take a trip, read a book, or talk to a professional. Some women just give up and drown their sorrow. But let me give you the best prescription ever given to man (or woman). Read Psalm 23 three times a day for one week. “Keep them [the promises] in the midst of your heart” and you will see; he will restore your soul.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 48:1–49:33; Matthew 15:29–16:12; Psalm 20:1-9; Proverbs 4:20-27