By: Brian Duncalfe
| “Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:16 He was supposed to, but he didn’t check his brakes before he took his loaded truck down the hill. It resulted in damage to many vehicles and the death of a young man as the momentum of his vehicle carried him into disaster. Some say it was a serious mistake of judgment that caused a series of tragic events. Some say that the mistake was simple neglect that could have been avoided had he taken a few moments to examine his brakes. He had driven his truck for many years, over many kilometers and had never had a problem before. The lesson is: be on guard. You never know when the unplanned will break into your life. Success may be our regular routine but it’s the surprises that can throw a wrench into our experiences. That’s true in the spiritual sense, as well. The writer of Proverbs reminds us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) There may be some things that we can let slide and catch up to later on but the condition of the heart needs constant maintenance. That’s why we are admonished by the words “Above all else.” We need to establish some priorities and caring for the heart has got to be near the top of the list. Some terrible tragedies can occur if we neglect our responsibility in the welfare of our hearts. That is not necessarily the medical aspect but definitely concerns the spiritual. Where we are in our relationship with God will be reflected in how we face the situations of life. Reading His Word, waiting in His presence in prayer, fellow-shipping with other believers and being obedient to do His will are exercises that benefit a healthy heart. We need to guard those moments and plan definite periods of each day or they will be robbed from us by the time stealers. The reason the care of the heart is so important is that it is the channel for all the rest of ‘who we really are.’ Our attitudes, our reactions, our quiet times, our focus and our dreams all have the heart as their source. For the Believer, we must be especially careful because the enemy of our souls will take advantage of our ‘neglect’ and sow seeds of disruption so that painful disasters may occur that could affect us seriously or do damage to relationships with others around us. The key to being ready at all times is to form good habits to establish a spiritual routine that will prepare us for the ‘surprises’ of life. The early “Methodists” were called that because they established personal goals that reflected a real method in their service to God. Their routines may have bordered on strict obedience to rules and regulations but they saw this as their personal goal to keep themselves growing in spiritual matters. That’s being on guard and it’s a worthy example to follow. Sincerely, Brian Duncalfe |
