Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life

Keep here is the Hebrew word natsar which means to guard with fidelity.

Two days ago I asked you to guard your heart with fidelity. Yesterday I showed you how difficult that task can be. The Lord has good reason to ask us to do difficult things. It is for our own good that He asks these things of us.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

He asks this of us to guard our hearts with fidelity. We are asked to be faithful to Him and not to cheat on Him as others have cheated on us. When we sin we are cheating on our Lord who has asked us not to sin. We don’t always look at it that way but as I said yesterday, He took our sins. To sin now, after becoming betrothed to Him, is to lay yet another sin upon His sin scarred back. Another lash of punishment He took for us.

Do you look at your sins that way? I admit I didn’t for many years. It is painful to think that way. Think about how painful it is for Him?

Isaiah 43:24, 53:6 Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

It should be painful to think about but it is meant to keep our hearts with all diligence, with fidelity.