Guard Your Heart

Every once in a while, I watch the Food Network show, Chopped. For each show, they bring in four chefs, who compete through three challenges, with one eliminated / “chopped” after each round. The chefs are given baskets (the same for all the chefs) with various ingredients that don’t necessarily go well together. Under tight time constraints, they have to prepare a dish for the judges using all the ingredients.

In the heat of the battle, mistakes are made. Sometimes, required ingredients don’t make it to the plate. In this show, a chef in a hurry rolled up a tortilla shell on an uncleaned cutting board where raw chicken had been cut up. That one mistake may have cost the competitor/chef the $ 10,000 prize … she got “chopped.”

All it takes is one careless moment, whether it’s under pressure or without thinking, to wreak havoc on our lives. That is why it is so important that we guard our hearts:

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Guarding our hearts involves preparation when we’re not under pressure, making sure that we are walking closely with God in the best of times. It also involves checking ourselves and listening to others when we are under pressure. We must constantly ask ourselves whether there is anything that is getting in the way of our relationship with God, and be careful of blind spots. David knew this, and he plead,

Psalm 139:23-24 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

So, today’s encouragement is to guard your heart... make sure it is right and tender toward God. If it is, we’re much more likely to avoid careless, but costly mistakes. But praise God, He forgives!
In His grip,
Pastor Decker