Feb 16, 2018
I got some sad news this week. The woman who taught me piano as a child was senselessly murdered by her son. He also killed his father, his girlfriend and his girlfriend's mother, and then committed suicide. He even attempted to kill his own 19 year old son, but thank God, he got away, but not before he witnessed the murder of his grandparents.
I've been mulling this over this week - my mind in a fog as to how this could happen!?! I mean, this was a God-fearing family! I know this family. I spent time in their home. The mother (my instructor) was a sweet, patient, gentle soul. I knew this man as a child, he was just a babe when his mother taught me. I watched him grow up. Never, never, could anyone imagine that something like this would happen. This has been devastating to the folks in my home town in Ky. Five people lost their lives…but why!?!
I don’t know that anyone knows the depth of despair and hatred this man was feeling to do what he did. But God knows and He brings revelation. Thankfully, in my studies this week and then thru Terri last night, God gave me clarity. I love how He answers our questions and concerns thru His Word! If you're not reading God's love letter to you daily, you are so missing out!
Last night at Bible study, Terri Broome quoted Jeremiah 17:9-10 "The heart is more deceitful than all else And is desperately sick; Who can understand it? "I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds.". Ding, ding, ding! There was the answer – back to the heart. A deceived heart. We see this deception played out every day in our world. This man who took the lives of so many, professed to believe in Christ. But sadly, he clearly lacked faith and the motives of his heart were not for God…his heart was deceived. Just as that seed of sin and rebellion in his heart against God, caused Cain to kill his brother Abel, this man also took the lives of those closest to him. It's the same sin that was from the beginning of time! Why was I so surprised!?! (Chuckling at myself)
This is why it is so critical for us to immerse ourselves in God’s Word. God warns us that we can be deceived and He gives us the answer on how NOT to be deceived! He tells us in Proverbs 4:23 NIV “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it”. The KJV says tell us that our heart is the “wellspring of life”. Guarding our heart IS the MOST important thing a believer must do.
What does it mean to guard your heart? Well, again, let’s go to the Word. In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”. There is it! A commentary I recently read by Phillip Bethancourt noted, and I’m paraphrasing, “Paul tells us that prayer is the path to guarding our hearts and minds with the peace of God. Peace comes as we choose to trust in God and it is expressed through prayer. Guarding your heart is the result of clear communication with God.” Not only that, but the bonus is that it gives us a sound mind!
Hearts become unguarded when we seek our own will and not God’s in ALL things. Hearts become unguarded when we don’t have clear communication with God. Hearts become unguarded when we invite trash into our lives - we are instructed in the Word to put away perverse speech and the song, “O be careful little eyes what you see” comes to mind – great understanding in that kid’s song. Hearts become unguarded when we allow ourselves to be influenced by false religions and false gods, sometimes unknowingly due to ignorance of God's Word. Hearts become unguarded when we don’t know God’s heart for us and, we can only know that by knowing His Word.
Why should we guard our hearts? Well, besides the FACT that the Bible tells us to, we in the Western world tend to view the heart as the source of our will and emotions, but again as Bethancourt noted, our forefathers in scripture understood the heart to be the center of the whole person, not just the source of emotions and will, but also of wisdom and our view of the world around us. That is, the heart IS who you are as a person. It is your soul, made up of your mind, will and emotions. It is the “wellspring” of your life!
God’s Word is a call to we believers to protect our character in ALL that we do. All throughout Proverbs He tell us to seek wisdom, grace, discipline and more than anything, LIFE. The onus is on us to do our part, but thank God, He does not leave us hanging. He gives us promise after promise, just as in my go to verse Deuteronomy 31:8 "And the Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.". And then in Joshua chapters 1-5 he consistently cleared the way for those who chose to follow Him. He’s there for us folks!
Guarding out heart (talking to God, reading His Word and keeping the trash out) is the key to experiencing all that God has in store for us. It is the key to keep us from falling into that same deception that Cain and this childhood friend of mine, fell into. It is the key that helps us check our motives when we give offerings to God.
I want to hear in the end, “Well done, though good and faithful servant”, when I face my God. Lord, help us all to guard our hearts and to not live deceived.
Blessings!
Allison
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