It is often said that a good leader takes all the facts into account, and then decides what to do according to an inner sense he or she feels. Another word for this “gut feeling” is “heart.” Very often we do what our heart tells us even if the facts state otherwise.

The two proverbs above teach us two important things about the heart.

First, the Lord is sovereign and in control. Even the heart of someone as great as a king is subject to the Lord’s will. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would refuse to let the people go (Exodus 4:21). Solomon, however, prayed that God would give him an understanding heart (I Kings 3:9), and God was pleased.

The second proverb is a warning. Our heart can lead us astray, sometimes disastrously. Later in life, Solomon’s heart turned away from the Lord (1 Kings 11:3), and God held him responsible. Something can feel so right and be exactly the wrong choice.

Jesus saw deeply into people’s hearts, and he sees deeply into my heart and yours. What does he see there? Your heart sets the direction of your life, and God holds it in His hands. Guard it. Take care that you are not led astray. Ask him to make it a heart that longs to follow his will.

O God, I want a heart that follows you. Cleanse my heart and make it devoted to you. Amen.

Go Deeper — Take a moment to consider what your heart is telling you to do today. Ask God to give you a true sense of your own desires, and then to align them with his will.



Tags: We Love Our Writers Proverbs 21
Photo Credit: Faye Cornish