Heart Condition

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

- Socrates

This past weekend, Pastor Jared asked “How is your heart?” My first thought was this verse from Proverbs 4:23:

Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life. (AMP)

The Hebrew word for heart is levav or “lev.” The writers of the Bible knew the heart was a physical organ in the chest that sustained life, but they also talked about the heart in ways that might seem strange to us, because the ancient people had no concept of a word for “brain.” They imagined all of a human's intellectual activity taking place in the heart. The heart was not only a physical organ, but also where you would think and make sense of the world, where you would feel emotions and experience pain and joy.

So, to the Hebrew people, including Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, the heart literally was the ‘wellspring’ of life as some versions translate this verse. Why? Based on the condition, thoughts and feelings of your heart, YOUR CHOICES were made!

The words in Proverbs are still relevant today. If what we do flows from our heart—our inner and true self, and If our heart believes that something is not right, or not true, or not helpful, or not beneficial—then our ACTIONS will reflect the same. We guard our heart so we will act out of what is right and true and good.

Pastor Jared gave us two practical tools to examine our heart and move from pride to humility. They were: Assess how many questions you ask; and evaluate your consumption when you are squeezed by life. Have you thought about your response?

Throughout this series, we’ve seen the examples of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who acted out of humility and faith. We’ve also seen the actions of Belshazzar whose pride got in the way and led to his death.

We’re going to continue to encounter trials - it’s just part of life. How will you respond when pressed?

Here are a few verses that you can meditate on:

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

- Matthew 6:21

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

- Luke 6:45

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

- James 1:2-4

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

- I Corinthians 10:13

Let’s begin a daily heart check, asking God to show us and convict us of areas of pride in our lives. And the next time you see me, I give you permission to ask me, “How is your heart?”

Pastor Pam

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