THE ORDERED HEART

“KEEP your HEART with all diligence; for out of it spring the issues of life” – Proverbs 4:23

The ORDERED HEART is the nucleus and driver of the Well-Ordered Life: “KEEP your HEART with all diligence; for out of it spring the issues of life” (Pro.4:23). This is what the wise king Solomon calls the Kept or Guarded Heart! Much of the confusion and disorder in the world derive from failure to understand the truths about the significance of the heart.

The heart, which is the very core of life, is a mysterious spiritual reality that allows us to experience the fullness of life. Samuel revealed that God does not evaluate people by outward appearance, but He looks at the heart (1Sam. 16:7). Our heart is the truest expression of who we really are. The heart is particularly vital to the issue of salvation and the matter of redemption. Romans 10:9 links salvation to the step of “believing in your heart" that God raised Jesus from the dead.

Proverbs 4: 20-27 reveals four principles of the Guarded and Ordered Heart.

First, the Heart is a treasure to be guarded. To experience the fullness of faith and partake of the blessings of God, we must recognize the heart as a treasure. Guarding the heart is a key priority for maximised kingdom living. We are commanded to hide God's word in our heart and to trust Him with all our heart (Psa.119:11; Pro. 3:5). Jesus declared that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mk. 12:30). Talking about the kingdom of God, He revealed the things that come out of the heart defile a man (Mt. 15:16-20). He also taught, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Lk.12:34). The apostle Paul prayed for the saints that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Eph. 1:18).

Having identified the biblical mandate to recognize the treasure of the heart, we must regard the task of guarding the heart as a priority. Hardly any of the spiritual disciplines and devotions of worship, prayer, Bible study, and evangelism can be accomplished effectively without a well-ordered and guarded heart. Guarding the heart is essentially about feeding the soul. A strong and sound heart is able to resist the temptations that cause others to stumble. Scriptures identify some things to avoid, but also emphasize on numerous instructions concerning pursuing wisdom, grace, discipline, and life.

Guarding the heart also includes endeavouring to minimize trash from our lives and seeking purity. We must protect the heart from spiritual trash and mental junk. Verses 24-26 describe putting away perverse speech, looking straight ahead, and choosing good paths. Like Hebrews 12: 1-2, these verses reveal the need to remove some things from our lives in order to run the race of faith. The variety of trash to remove include: moral corruption, perverse behaviour, evil acts that harm others; unbelief, unwillingness to forgive, materialism, pride, and false belief systems that can dam the springs of life.

Guarding the heart involves invigorating life with the transforming truth of God’s Word: “give attention to my words” (v.20). This is followed by the promise of life and health (v.22). Knowing the Truth sets free (Jh.8:32). We live in a world that is often opposed to truth; a culture of relativism. But there is a difference between right and wrong, good and bad, righteousness and evil. Facts are distinct from Truth. Facts provide information, but truth produces transformation. By keeping the truth “in the midst of your heart” you advance in the journey of faith (v.21b). Scripture is more than a collection of facts. God’s Word is living and powerful (Heb.4:12). It is like burning fire to the soul and a hammer that shatters rocks to pieces (Jer.23:29).

Guarding my heart is critical to experiencing all that God desires for my life. The heart is the navigational equipment of my life. It provides proper alignment with the true Reference Point – God. The Guarded and Ordered Heart stays aligned to God's will and the Wellsprings of Life!