ESOCS Devotional 5 December
TEXT: PROVERBS 4:18-27 KJV
MEMORY VERSE: “Keep they heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23 KJV
Hitherto, scientists had considered the head to be the controlling centre of human activity. But the Bible has disproved that, by describing the heart as the wellspring of all life (Prov. 4:23). The heart is the seat of the intellect, the emotions, and the will. God knows the inner core, the heart, of every man, and continually examines it to see its true devotion. Without God’s grace, the human heart is full of wickedness and produces all sorts of evil actions (Jer. 17:9).
Because God sees through every heart, He is able to determine that the path of the just is as the light of dawn that shines more and more to the perfect day, as distinct from the way of the wicked, which is as darkness (vs.18,19). It follows therefore that the heart of the righteous radiates light, while the wicked heart is a witness to darkness. Therefore, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Matt. 5:16).
From vs. 20–27 of our text, we see a set of instructions, which are concluded with the principles that lead to abundant life. We come to understand that a person’s action that follow what the ear hears and what the eye sees is governed by the heart. In the same vein, what action the body takes or what the mouth speaks is also controlled by the heart. It is important therefore, that the totality of one’s being should be focused on God through the instrumentality of the heart. We must seek God with all our heart, soul, mind, and might (Mark 12:30). In order to maintain the way of righteousness, one’s heart must be on guard.
Read yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
CHALLENGES
- If truly the heart is the seat of the intellect, emotions, and the will, how safe are the self-willed, who would not allow God to be in full control?
PRAYER POINT
My God, my Father, help me to discard every murmur of self-will. Amen.
FURTHER READING: Proverbs 5:1-14; Zechariah 8:9-23; 1 Peter 2:13-22
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ESOCS Devotional 4 December
