Proverbs 21:1
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turned it whithersoever he will. (KJV)
Praise the LORD, everyone! It’s a beautiful day to give thanks to our Heavenly Father! As Psalm 118:1 reminds us, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth forever.” Each day we wake up and breathe is a gift, a reason to express gratitude. It’s not by our own doing, but by His mercy and grace that we are alive.
Today, I want to encourage you that because Jesus lives, we too can live forever! His death, burial, and resurrection allow us to declare, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). The sting of death is sin, but through Christ, we have victory over death. Death only loses its sting when death Is no longer a punishment but rather a transition. Believers in Christ no longer need to feel the sting of death, since Jesus has achieved everlasting life for those living in Christ Jesus.
Our focus scripture speaks of God’s control over even “The Heart” of a king. He can turn it as He wills. According to the Enduring Word Bible Commentary, “God holds and can guide the human heart. If God can do this with someone as powerful and noble as a king, He can do this with any man or woman He chooses.” A striking example is Pharaoh in Exodus, whose heart God hardened for His glory and demonstrated His power as the one true God.
Saints of God, the Lord desires our hearts. Like David, who was known as a man after God’s own heart, we are called to pursue His heart. His light will shine for others to be drawn unto Him. Matthew 5:16 (KJV) declares, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” When we surrender our lives to Christ, He gives us a new heart—one that responds to His love “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you; I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart”(Ezekiel 36:26 NLT).
Consider the heart within us—an incredible organ, about the size of a fist, vital for life. It beats approximately 100,000 times a day, pumping blood to nourish our bodies. When “The Heart” stops, life ceases. Depriving the body of blood flow and oxygen, the cells of the body begin their own process of death. So it is in the spirit, when we do not have the Spirit of God flowing on the inside of us- we are walking around spiritually dead affecting the entire body. The Bible says, “....if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”(Romans 8:9, KJV). In the spiritual realm, without the Spirit of God flowing within us, we walk in spiritual death.
Reflecting on my time as a nurse in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit, I witnessed firsthand the critical importance of the heart. One night, a patient I was caring for after having open heart surgery heart suddenly stopped beating. Thank God, at that time, the doctor was still in the unit, and immediately was able to perform an open chest cardiac massage, reviving her and restoring blood flow. After applying this method thankfully, the patient survived! This event reminded me of how precious and fragile our hearts are.
Your beautiful fragile heart belongs to the King of Glory! The one who came and died for you and me. 2 Corinthians 1:22 NLT, reassures us, “…He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything He has promised us.” How can we be guaranteed that we have His Spirit? This only can be done when “THE HEART” is totally surrendered (repentance) in the King's hands. We must follow the great Plan of Salvation (Acts 2:38)- which was boldly spoken by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost. When the promise of the Holy Ghost was given to over 120 men and to all of us now. Our hearts will flow with Jesus’ blood like a never-ending river, causing the entire body to submit to the perfect will of the Lord, Jesus the Christ. God wants us to be able to trust Him with our hearts. We must guard our hearts, for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). The scripture gives us clarity- that the heart is evidently vital as far as one’s well-being and health concerns. God’s greatest commandment to us is, to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).
Scriptural Reflections on the Heart
Here are a few scriptures to meditate on regarding “The Heart”:
Philippians 4:7: “Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus”
Ephesians 1:18:“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called- his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance”
Romans 5:5: “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love”
Proverbs 14:30: “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones”
Proverbs 17:22: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones”
Our Prayer
Lord, we thank you for your faithfulness and loving mercies towards us. If it had not been for your love, where would we be? Thank you for “we love because you first loved us” (John 4:19) allowing our hearts to be changed like yours- making us capable of love. The Love you have given us, cannot be compared to anything in this world. Lord, we repent of our sins, and ask that you will guide us back to our first love, which is in you Christ Jesus. Protect our hearts from the cares of this world, for your Word declares, that we must guard our hearts, for it’s the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23). We surrender “THE HEART” that originally belongs to you. We ask that you will massage and turn it wherever you choose so we will grow in godliness, obeying your commands, and experiencing a deeper connection with you. We love you Lord and thank you for protecting us from the unseen and seen dangers that come to steal our hearts. Today, we recommit “THE HEART” back into your care! Covenant keeping God, we pray that you will continue to be the lover of our souls in Jesus name, Amen.
If you have not yet given your heart to the Lord, I urge you to do so now! Let Him anchor your heart in His hands, so you can experience His peace. As David said, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8).
Love you with the love of the Lord! Take time to reflect on these scriptures this week.
Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!
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