“My son, pay attention to what I say: turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:20-23
Lord God, Your Son gives light to my path and life to my heart. By your gospel, by your Spirit, you have raised my dead heart to life and have set me free to run in the path of your commands. Yet, so much in my heart is still dead. My sinful heart is still opposed to you and seeks after other things. This world I live in would lure my heart into deep and deadly sins; it would kill me. So, Lord, come to my darkened and sinful heart and guard my heart by the truth of your Word. Guard my heart by the Life that comes from your Spirit. Keep me from a heart that seeks things that are sinful and are opposed to you. Guard my heart and give me life by your Word. Amen.
“Guard your heart” means to kill, crucify and drown the old man heart so that daily, by the work of the Holy Spirit through one baptism, a new man arises. “Guard your heart” is daily contrition, sorrow, and repentance. “Guard your heart” is to seek, to hold, and to store up treasure in heaven. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21). This is the “whatever it takes” to get, keep, hold and treasure wisdom. It is discipline to be in the Word and to seek the Wisdom that is from on high.