I had considered doing a newsletter of sorts for a time but just wasn’t sure what the content would be about! I finally decided to go ahead and do it though. If nothing else, I come across some pretty neat stuff in my daily Bible time. Soon after my decision though, I was reading a book and came across a little piece in it that gave me an idea for a “Sarah’s Thoughts” concerning the very verse that I use as my “theme”.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)
So…Here we go!
A piece of a letter from Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot concerning waiting:
He was a very positive and joyous young man who makes you feel like you’re the only person who is important to him as you talk. I fell for him, though I had prayed that God would guard my heart with all diligence. We had a wonderful time at the student conference, and one cold but clear evening we went for a long walk all over campus and had pizza by the fire. He also went to hear you speak at one session and couldn’t stop talking about what you said, especially the part about men initiating and women responding. Needless to say, since I’ve returned home I’ve sat here waiting to
respond -- if he would initiate, by writing or calling. He hasn’t done either.
In reading this piece, my mind went in a completely different direction than the author. (Due in part to the fact that I disagree with some of her beliefs/guidelines concerning the guy/girl interaction) I was struck by a couple of mistakes that this girl made. What you might ask? ‘She prayed’ you might say…yes, she prayed. But what for? That God would guard her heart. ‘What’s wrong with that’ you might ask? Well…nothing really. Except that we are expected to take a larger, and more active, part in guarding our hearts (as single young women – and men) than just asking Him to guard it.
All through Scripture we are told to flee, avoid, and turn away from tempting situations etc. (What is more tempting than losing our heart to a member of the opposite sex? We are supposed to give that desire to God though, and wait for “the one” who will gain our heart when we marry them)
Did she do that? No, not really. They – 1) Went for a long walk (at night!) 2) Ate together (not just happened to be eating together in the same group) 3) Sat by the fire together 4) Talked, after only a short acquaintance, about the ways of guys and girls and 5) I’m sure more than that.
“Flee fornication.” I Corinthians 6:18
“Flee also youthful lusts…” II Timothy 2:22
“Abstain from fornication” I Thessalonians 4:3
“Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” I Peter 2:11
“He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul” Proverbs 16:17
“Keep thy heart…” Proverbs 4:23
“Keep…my body…into subjection” I Corinthians 9:27
“Will with the temptation also make a way to escape” I Corinthians 10:13
All of these verses are spoken in a command and are an action you perform to “guard you heart”. We have as much a part of the job of guarding our hearts as God does. He tells us what to do in all of these verses (and more) then we do them, asking for help (and He will help us “Unto him that is able to keep you from falling…” Jude 24 “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation” Revelation 3:10) – but He won’t do it all for us.
Above, it didn’t appear that this girl was acting in a way that would example guarding her heart. Did she flee, abstain from, and remove herself, of keep her heart? No, she remained, walked with, and revealed her heart to this young man.
I’m not being condemning but simply using this letter as an example of how even the little things that so many people see as harmless can lead us to opening our heart to a young man in a way we ought not to except with our husbands.
So in closing I encourage you, whether male or female, to take your part in guarding you heart. Don’t dive into each new “relationship” and then wonder why you have lost your heart.
With Prayers,
Sarah
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AuthorHere you can read "Sarah's Thoughts". A blog by me! Just a little bit once a month, and here and there, about something the Lord is speaking to me about or focusing on a certain verse that I've found particularly interesting for some reason. You can also subscribe (below) to have them directly sent to your email. Just fill in your name and email and put "Newsletter" in the comment box. Also, please feel free to leave a comment on my blog to let me know what you think! I love hearing from you! Thanks! Sarah's Thoughts
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