11-17-12
By Randi Spearman
I was telling someone the other day that my heart is guarded right now. I pray daily that God would guard my heart because I know how easy it is to open up my heart to the wrong people. Then I asked myself, “What does that even mean, that my heart is guarded?” The Scripture says, “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”Proverbs 4:23
What are the issues of life that flow out of your heart?
Matthew 15:19-20 says, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man, for out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murder, adulteries, fornication’s, thefts, false witness and blasphemies.”
So I get that. There are lots of evil issues that flow out of the heart. But what about the good issues like love and compassion? These are good things. Why do I have to guard my heart against these?
For me, there is a side of compassion that says, “I have to be the one to help these people,” so I let them get close and instead of being the witness I intended to be, I start to compromise what I stand for and let some of the world break down my guard.
To guard my heart against love is huge for me. And maybe it would be better said to guard my heart against the lusts and desires of my heart, but how easy it is to confuse lust with love. I’ve always been in love with love. But what does that even mean? That’s why I have to put a guard at my heart, my mouth, and my hands. Cause even the simplest words can break down my guard. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34
So back to my question: What does it mean to guard my heart? It means that I am so filled with the fullness of Christ that I don’t have room for anything of this world. It means I am so rooted and grounded in His love, that no other love or lust compares. It means that for anyone to get to my heart, they have to go through God’s heart first cause His heart is covering mine.
“For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.” Matthew 6:21
My heart is in God and my treasure and my reward is in Him.
Leave a Reply