“Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.”
Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Guard in this verse is the Hebrew word “nasar” which means to watch, protect, keep, and preserve.
Watch:
“But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish from good and evil.”
Hebrews 5:14 NIV
We watch by practicing discernment. God will allow the same situation repeatedly, because He is sharpening us. Discernment is the ability to judge others well. Judging is noticing the capacity and integrity of people, places, and things and then deciding how that does or doesn’t fit in life.
Protect:
“Discretion will protect you,
and understanding will guard you.”
Proverbs 2:11 NIV
God’s protection is to keep us safe. He doesn’t promise us we won’t go through trials that may harm us and cause pain. His protection is to be a shield and refuge, while we develop the tools and character to handle the trial.
Keep.
“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”
Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV
Keep is to have or keep possession of. The Old Testament is for our learning; we should read the Biblical stories in the Bible and have hope; every covenant that we read about is a covenant that God wants to make with us (Pastor Dharius Daniels). We show up with our faith and love and God promises to love and keep us for a thousand generations.
Preserve.
“Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the LORD loves the just,
and will not forsake his faithful ones.”
Psalm 37:27-28 NIV
Preserve is to maintain in its original form. We choose to be faithful and to maintain our heart and be an example of love and God promises to love us and never forsake us.
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandments greater than these.'”
Mark 12:30-31 NIV
We guard our hearts because God wants us to love Him and each other well.
