JULY 13
GUARD THE GOOD THING
2 Timothy 1:14
That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. (WEB)
In Proverbs 4:23, King Solomon emphasizes that we must guard our hearts above all else, for from them come the issues of life. Today's Bible reading offers the New Testament equivalent of that Scripture. The Apostle Paul gives this advice to his spiritual son Timothy as he guides him on how to oversee everything God has entrusted to him in the local church.
So what do 'guard the good thing' or 'guard your heart' mean? Does it mean building walls around your heart so no one else can access it? Absolutely not! People who try to protect themselves by hiding behind walls of their own making are not truly free. Walls we create as a way to avoid getting hurt only keep us trapped inside them.
I believe that guarding what is entrusted to us simply means exercising wisdom when it comes to sharing the deepest desires of our hearts with others. We cannot share everything that is dear to us with everyone around us. There are times when we can only share our most precious dreams and desires with a select few. We see this in Jesus' life. He shared His most intimate moments with Peter, James, and John.
Often, others cannot fully appreciate what God has entrusted to us. In some ways, I believe that is understandable because each person is different. What we see within ourselves is not easily visible to those around us, so even well-meaning friends might overlook what we consider sacred in our lives.
My prayer today is that these negative experiences will not cause us to shut down emotionally. I pray that we will also not react by giving up on the things that God has promised us. May the Holy Spirit give us wisdom to know how to protect and nurture what He has placed within our hearts without relying solely on self-protection as our only defense.
I pray that today we will all be inspired to 'stir up the gift within us' and seek those around us who will truly help us ignite all the good things our Papa has placed in our hearts. Remember, God's gifts and His call are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). What He has promised to do, He will do because He is a faithful Father.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. (WEB)
That good thing which was committed to you, guard through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. (WEB)
In Proverbs 4:23, King Solomon emphasizes that we must guard our hearts above all else, for from them come the issues of life. Today's Bible reading offers the New Testament equivalent of that Scripture. The Apostle Paul gives this advice to his spiritual son Timothy as he guides him on how to oversee everything God has entrusted to him in the local church.
So what do 'guard the good thing' or 'guard your heart' mean? Does it mean building walls around your heart so no one else can access it? Absolutely not! People who try to protect themselves by hiding behind walls of their own making are not truly free. Walls we create as a way to avoid getting hurt only keep us trapped inside them.
I believe that guarding what is entrusted to us simply means exercising wisdom when it comes to sharing the deepest desires of our hearts with others. We cannot share everything that is dear to us with everyone around us. There are times when we can only share our most precious dreams and desires with a select few. We see this in Jesus' life. He shared His most intimate moments with Peter, James, and John.
Often, others cannot fully appreciate what God has entrusted to us. In some ways, I believe that is understandable because each person is different. What we see within ourselves is not easily visible to those around us, so even well-meaning friends might overlook what we consider sacred in our lives.
My prayer today is that these negative experiences will not cause us to shut down emotionally. I pray that we will also not react by giving up on the things that God has promised us. May the Holy Spirit give us wisdom to know how to protect and nurture what He has placed within our hearts without relying solely on self-protection as our only defense.
I pray that today we will all be inspired to 'stir up the gift within us' and seek those around us who will truly help us ignite all the good things our Papa has placed in our hearts. Remember, God's gifts and His call are irrevocable (Romans 11:29). What He has promised to do, He will do because He is a faithful Father.
Proverbs 4:23
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life. (WEB)