One thing that the Lord desires of His children is to live thoughtfully and purposefully. Sure there are times when we must act on blind faith, but for the most part are lives are filled with purpose. Everyday there is a mission. Everyday there is a challenge.
"My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them at the center of your heart." Proverbs 4:20-21, Amplified
I like the fact that Solomon encourages his son to not allow his words to depart from his sight. Words are spoken, words are heard. Son in essence what is being said here is that Solomon has written down his words for his son, just like the Father has written His words down for us to read and never forget. We have the Bible that we can read. Its words need to be at the center, or throne of our hearts. Everyday we should purpose to read our Bibles.
"For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." Proverbs 4:22-23, Amplified
The words of God are life to those who find them. The Christian lingo is filled with some very daunting language: die to self, self sacrifice, martyrdom. All these ideas, however, lead to a better life, an eternal life. Nothing in the Bible will ever ask us to harm ourselves physically, rather it is a healing to our bodies that we can find. The Bible also helps us to keep our hearts, guard our hearts. Remember that at the center of our hearts is where we keep the words of our Father. The most valued possessions of a man just might be kept in a safe inside the house. Everything will be done to ensure the secrecy and safety of the safe and its contents. Why then can we not have the same attitude with the words of God at the center of our hearts? From the center of the heart flow the springs of life, because what we receive we must also give. We must keep the mouth or the outlet of that spring guarded and cleaned.
"Put away from you false and dishonest speech, and willful and contrary talk put far away from you. Let your eyes look right on [with fixed purpose], and let your gaze be straight before you." Proverbs 4:24-25, Amplified
After we are told what we must do, we are then told how to. This is one thing that I love about the Lord, He never asks us to do anything without giving us the tools and answers that we need to complete the task.
In order to guard the heart we must put away from us dishonest speech and contrary speech. It is like having one foot in heaven and one foot in the world. I know that part of my evolution is to reinvent my thought processes, to curb my speech. Working where I was in the world I did have problems with contrary speech, or speech that was not becoming of our Savior. Allowing our conversation to be tainted with worldly talk is to murk up that spring. In order to guard the heart we must also guard the mouth.
Also our eyes must be fixed, purposed. Back when farmers used horses to plow fields, it was extremely difficult to keep those rows straight. One day a passer-by asked the farmer how he kept his rows so straight. The farmer stated that he picks an object in the distance and does not take his eyes off of it. Just imagine if the Lord was our prize. How straight would our walk be Jesus was the focal point of our lives? In order to guard the heart we must also guard the eyes. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul. What we view is going to impress itself on the heart. Question everything. What are you viewing? Is it complementary to the guarding of the heart?
"Consider well the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established and ordered aright. Turn not aside tot he right hand or to the left; remove your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:26-27, Amplified
Consider. Ponder. Think. Contemplate. Perpend. Cogitate. Study. Ruminate. Take time with the steps that you take and make each step purposeful. As we ponder where it is that we are going, our steps will be established. Just think of a life of sin as a bridge that falls apart behind you as you walk. Steps become frantic and hurried. But a cogitated path is one of surety, it is steady, it is paced. Live a life of purpose.
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