Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. – Proverbs 4:23
Many translations of today’s verse say, “Guard your heart,” or “Watch over your heart.” The Bible Dictionary renders the word that begins today’s verse as “to secure against injury, loss or attack; to protect; to defend; to keep in safety.” When you think of types of guards, you might include military guards, border guards, national guards, presidential guards, and the guards who maintain the entries of gated communities. All have the same purpose: to protect against harm.
The word of God describes many things that contribute to having a healthy, protected heart, related to integrity, honesty, attitudes, and responsibility. Scripture also warns to guard against certain things, such as sexual immorality, idolatry, envy, drunkenness, dissension, and divisions… essentially those things done “according to the flesh” (Romans 8:5, 13). In Psalm 141:3-4, David prayed, “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth, keep watch over the door of my lips! Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy itself with wicked deeds.”
A guarded heart is essential as evil disguises itself in the current culture and temptations are many. In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he states that it is the Holy Spirit who provides your heart’s guard, as you surrender to His leadership. Keep yourself under the watchful, guiding hand of God’s Spirit. Pray for those in government who need to find the true Guard for their hearts, their lives, and their eternal destiny.
Today’s Verse: Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Recommended for further reading: Galatians 5:18-26
18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
