How’s Your Walk?

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Opening Prayer

Sovereign Lord, Your love and my needs draw me near to You. I anticipate a word from You now.

Read Proverbs 4:10-27

^[10] Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. ^[11] I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. ^[12] When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. ^[13] Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. ^[14] Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. ^[15] Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way. ^[16] For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble. ^[17] They eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. ^[18] The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. ^[19] But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. ^[20] My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. ^[21] Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; ^[22] for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. ^[23] Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ^[24] Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. ^[25] Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. ^[26] Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. ^[27] Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Meditate

“Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path” (Psa. 119:105). There is a strong link between obeying God’s Word and experiencing wisdom.

Think Further

The sixth address (10-19) is an encouragement to avoid the wrong path, while the seventh (20-27) is a challenge to continue in the right path. The use of the metaphor of walking for the whole pattern of life is common in both the Old and the New Testaments (Isa. 30:2). It suggests movement, steady and determined progress, towards a chosen goal. As we have seen before, there is a choice to be made. We can determine which road we take. If we will heed the instruction, it will bring life. Ignore it, and we find that our way is cast in the direction of those whose only intention is evil, those for whom evil has become such an ingrained pattern that all their waking hours are taken up with plotting some new form of wickedness. This can take many forms. Syrian government forces are continuing to turn heavy weapons on civilian populations. And there are also many subtler manifestations of self-interest and self-gratification.

If we listen to the voice of wisdom there will be a different outcome. While the way of the wicked leads to deep darkness, the way of the righteous wise leads to growing light (18). This is why all our faculties must be turned towards the right way–listening (20), watching (21,25), speech (24), movement (26). Above all stands the heart, not as in modern thinking the source of the emotions, but the center of thought, emotion and motivation. From our heart, seen thus, all else flows. The Hebrew is vivid, literally, “Above all watching, guard your heart.” We watch what goes in, we take care how we think, and we guard what goes out.

Apply

What steps will you take today to guard your heart?

Closing prayer

Father, I want all my faculties turned towards You. I want to be listening, watching, speaking, and moving in step with the Spirit.

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