20 My son, pay attention to what I say;Here, we see that guarding our heart, in this context, is about listening to the words of the wise Father. Additionally, we are told that treasuring these words will bring health to our whole body. I think we should take this to mean that spending time in the Word will have benefits for our physical, emotional, spiritual and mental health. It even goes so far to say that, in doing so, we are guarding our heart, which is our wellspring of life. Thus, in order to live a fulfilled life or to pour life into those around us, we need to guard our hearts, which starts by spending time in God's Word.
listen closely to my words.
21 Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;
22 for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man’s whole body.
23 Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.
A lot of people look at ministry as if they are pouring God's energy into their own cup and then pouring that cup into the lives of other people until the cup runs dry. Then there is burnout followed by a spiritual retreat that refills the cup before the cycle begins anew. However, this cycle of ministry is debilitating and self-defeating, for not only do you waste a lot of time and energy, but you also lose quality in ministry whenever you are feeding people out of your energy and enthusiasm rather than from God's power.To minister differently, you need to look at ministry like your cup is stacked on top of the cups of the people you are ministering to. Then, you learn that you are constantly letting God pour into you every day and that, when your cup fills up, the overflow goes into the lives of the people you are serving. This way, not only do you not burn out, but you are also pouring fresh water into the lives of others rather than the stagnant water you give whenever you are pouring yourself out to the last drop.
So, how does this play out practically? Look at John 15:5:
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.Jesus tells us that we can get nothing done if we are not abiding in him. Here, abiding would be best understood as spending daily time with him. This is done in Bible reading, prayer, meditation, and other spiritual disciplines that give you and God time to spend together. Another verse echoes a similar warning about one's relationship with God. After discussing a model of maturing in the faith, Peter continues in 2 Peter 1:8-9:
8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.If we don't spend time developing our relationship with God, we will be ineffective and unproductive in affecting the lives of others. We might pour as much effort as we want into ministry, but it will be for naught if God is not in the equation every day, moving in our heart and, thus, moving through our heart into the lives of those around us. This is the wisdom behind the first passage from Proverbs: we need to guard our heart, for it is the spring from which we draw life for ourselves and for those around us.
In conclusion, reflect on Joshua 1:8:
8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.and Psalm 119:9-11:
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?Peace,
By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
Simeon Snow
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ReplyDeleteAmen
ReplyDeleteBless your heart
ReplyDeleteAmen sir
ReplyDelete