The Good Heart

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life - Prov 4 : 23

The heart, the Bible speaks about is not the physical organ that pumps blood in our body, but a spiritual organ that controls a man's behavior.

The Bible assigns certain attributes to this heart that is both paradoxical and challenging. The heart we ar born with is said to be 'most deceitful above all' in Jeremiah 17:9 and yet God promises to give in exchange of this heart, a new heart (Ezek 11:9) where His laws are in it (Heb 10:16).

In Luke 8:15, Jesus describes the good heart by using two greek words, "AGATHOS" & "KALOS". What Jesus was saying - a good heart is intrinsically good by nature (AGATHOS) and this good inward nature is seen by the outward qualities of the person (KALOS). A good heart is characterised by first receiving Christ into the heart through faith. It is then changed and renewed by God as He writes His laws on it (ref: Ezek 36:26, Is 51:7, Heb 8:10, Jer32:39-40).

The intrinsic qualities of this heat is that it fears God with a single devotion, steadfastly trusts God and delights to do God's will. And the outward qualities that accompany this heart include obeying God, speaking what is right and bearing fruit.

It is then vital that we guard this good heart that God has given us. Just as a soldier dilligently guards his post, we must so guard our heart. The Bible teaches us very clearly the importance of guarding our heart. Proverbs 4:23 talks about the three ways in which we can guard our heart.

So let us keep our hearts and may the Holy Spirit enable us to do so now and forever.