Some parts of the Bible talk of heaven and angels and the end times; things that scholars have struggled to understand. And then there are places like this that offer simple instruction for us as we live our lives. Here we are instructed to keep our hearts right with God and not let any offense or disappointment or sorrow separate us from the love of God Proverbs 4:23 (LEB) With all vigilance, keep your heart, for from it comes the source of life. Those that are married are to keep their eyes on each other in Proverbs 5:18–19 (LEB) “rejoice in the wife of your youth … by her love may you be intoxicated continually”. And we are all given the example of the industrious ant in Proverbs 6:6–8 (LEB) “Go to the ant, lazy! Consider its ways and be wise. 7 It has no chief, officer, or ruler” and we don’t need anyone to tell us what to do. God has placed His Spirit in us to lead and guide us so we are admonished in Proverbs 6:9 (LEB) “How long will you lie down, lazy? When will you rise up from your sleep?” What is God speaking to your heart to do? What is in your authority that you can do now? This is a simple message that only requires that you Rise up and do it!
With All Vigilance, Keep Your Heart
Proverbs 4:20-27
You and God are the only ones that know what is going on inside you. And even then, we sometimes deceive ourselves but God will always bring us to the truth. But God doesn’t judge us based on what we or what we think, He judges us based on what we do in
Jeremiah 17:9–10 (LEB) The heart is deceitful more than anything else, and it is disastrous. Who can understand it? 10 I, Yahweh, examine the mind, I test the heart, and give to each one according to his way, according to the fruit of his deeds.
This is why He tells us in
Proverbs 4:20–21 (LEB) My child, be attentive to my words; to my sayings incline your ear. 21 May they not escape from your sight; keep them in the midst of your heart.
Having His words in our heart is the only way for us to keep ourselves on the path of life. As Jesus taught in
Luke 6:45 (LEB) The good person out of the good treasury of his heart brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
This is why it says here in
Proverbs 4:23 (LEB) With all vigilance, keep your heart, for from it comes the source of life.
With His word in our hearts and his goodness in our mouths we follow the good path in
Proverbs 4:25 (LEB) May your eyes look forward and your gaze be straight before you.
Keep Prudence and Knowledge
Proverbs 5:1-6
Do Not Depart From the Sayings of My Mouth
Rejoice in the Wife of Your Youth
Proverbs 5:15-23
Scientists study the natural world to understand how it operates and it is clear that there are certain actions that release tremendous amounts of energy. This explosive power can be destructive. There are also actions that store energy and plants amazingly turn a little sunlight and a little rain and a few minerals in the earth into fruit for us to eat.
What we sometimes miss is that there isn’t anything preventing us from taking destructive action and, we can just as easily choose to be constructive. To the natural mind, getting more and having mine may seem like the most constructive action. To the natural man, more women and more experiences may seem like the best way to live. But you may have witnessed the pain and anguish caused by infidelity. God made us in a way that we are fulfilled in a singular relationship where one man has one wife and they share together the joys of life. It says it this way in
Proverbs 5:15–16 (LEB) Drink water from your own cistern and flowing waters from inside your own well. 16 Shall your springs be scattered outward? In the streets, shall there be streams of water?
There is positive and constructive life-giving power that comes into the life of a man and woman that set their affection on each other and live together as one flesh. A man will find fulfillment when he sets his love on his wife and every woman will flourish in the loyal love of her husband as in
Proverbs 5:18–19 (LEB) May your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth. 19 She is a deer of love and a doe of grace; may her breasts satisfy you always; by her love may you be intoxicated continually.
If You are Snared by the Sayings of Your Mouth
When Will You Rise Up
Proverbs 6:6-11
God has given us authority over our lives. We have the free will choice about how we will live. This authority though, is in the context of the world God has created. In this world, there is a principle, a natural law, that everything produces after its kind. This principle also means that the world around us will produce for us the things we need but we will need at the very least to harvest the fruit of the earth. We though don’t need to accept whatever happens to grow around us. We can plant the things that we want to have and look forward to a harvest of those things.
Now we come to an example, what may be to us, a simple and maybe even useless creature, the ant in
Proverbs 6:6–8 (LEB) Go to the ant, lazy! Consider its ways and be wise. 7 It has no chief, officer, or ruler. 8 In the summer, it prepares its food; in the harvest, it gathers its sustenance.
The ant is a natural example for us to follow because our industry, our actions affect our lives. Here is the admonition from the Lord in
Proverbs 6:9 (LEB) How long will you lie down, lazy? When will you rise up from your sleep?
What is in your authority that you can do now? Rise up and do it!
Study Verses
- Proverbs 4:20-27 With All Vigilance, Keep Your Heart
- Proverbs 6:6-11 When Will You Rise Up
Today’s Reading
- Proverbs 4:20-27
- Proverbs 5:1-23
- Proverbs 6:1-11
