Word of the Week - Guard your Heart

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” Proverbs 4:23

The condition of our heart is vital to our health both physically and spiritually.  Physically, our heart is the most important organ that sustains life by pumping blood throughout the body supplying oxygen and nutrients to sustain life.  If our heart stops pumping then we die.  If our heart is not healthy it can greatly impact our quality of life by limiting what we can do physically.  If we are wise, we will incorporate disciplines in our lives such as exercising and eating well to keep our hearts healthy and well-conditioned to prevent heart disease, which is quite prevalent in our world. In fact, cardiovascular (heart) disease is by far the largest cause of death in the U.S. and the world, 2 times greater than deaths caused by cancer.Even more importantly, our heart is at the center of our spiritual condition.  The heart represents the central wisdom of feeling and being as opposed to the head-wisdom of reason and rationalizing.  The heart represents our ability to give and receive love giving us the capacity to experience compassion, empathy and joy.  It is the universal symbol for love.  All that being said, it would make sense why God tells us in His word to “guard our hearts” with vigilance to keep them pure and healthy.  All of life both physically and spiritually flows from the heart, the wellspring of life.So how do we guard our hearts and love well:

• Stay in God’s word and seek God’s Truth – If we feed our hearts and minds the junk of this world then our hearts will be perverted and not be pure.  The simple principle of garbage in equals garbage out.  If we feed our hearts a daily portion of God’s word also known as the “bread of life” we will stay healthy and pure.  When we let our guard down and forget the things of God we become vulnerable to the attacks of the evil one who desires to damage our hearts.  “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” Psalm 51:10
• Protect yourself from negative influences, toxic people and ungodly living – Even though we live in this world and need to remain connected and relevant, we are not of this world.  As Christ followers, we are born of the spirit and must be wise about who and where we spend our time.  Pursuing God and His word as noted above is an offensive strategy but we also need to have a defensive strategy and shield ourselves from the things of this world that can cause our hearts to be negatively affected.  This begins with the friends we hang out with and the character of the people we keep company with.  I also relates to the media we consume and the places we hang out.  “How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word.  With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!  I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:9-11
• Forgive freely and don’t let any bitter root take hold – If we have a heart for God and for people then we will love often and well.  In doing so our hearts will be hurt by people, whether intentional or unintentional.  We must recognize that this is the reality of life as we live in a fallen and broken world.  The key is that we do not take offense and allow the pain of the wound to take deep root in our hearts.  The antidote to bitterness is grace and forgiveness.  “Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you”.  Ephesians 4:31-32

As we enter the Christmas season, I encourage us to prepare our hearts so we can enjoy the reason for the season and share the love of Christ.God is so good that He promises if we “Delight ourselves in the Lord, He will give us the desires of our heart” Psalm 37:4Guard your heart,-Duane