“Diligence”

Keep your heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. Put away from yourself a wayward mouth, and perverse lips put far from you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you. Make level the path of your feet. And let all your ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Proverbs 4:23-27

Verse Reflections:  Diligence is “careful and persistent work or effort”.  This, I feel, is the key to success in the God plus one.  Keeping our heart with diligence: being meticulous and hard working.  We cannot expect to change a life time of habits easily.  We have to work to change our habits.  If 30 minutes a day in God’s word and in the presence of God can make a difference then I am happy to do that. In all honesty, that is an easy, beautiful way to change my life.  Yes, I have to be disciplined enough to find the thirty minutes in my day but I have to say God is faithful and He has truly made eating His foods easier than I ever imagined.  I can do this the rest of my life. I watched my Mother have devotionals most of our lives and she is a beautiful person inside and out.  I saw God in her daily life.  So I know the difference staying close to God makes.  This verse reminds us that the right choices require careful choices, and continuous WORK.  Eating right is not easy.  There is no magic pill, no magic diet, no easy way of eating.  We have to persist no matter how many times we fail.  God tells us that we begin success with keeping our heart centered.  Read God’s word every day.  If we read His word we can get our mouths, our eyes, our hands… to cooperate.

Prayer:  Father, take my hand today and allow me to keep my heart with meticulous care.  I know from this verse that I cannot expect You to guard my heart without a little work on my part.  This is the part of Christianity I often take for granted and forgive me.  You make it so easy that sometimes I forget to work to draw closer to You.   I do know that to live at the highest and most fulfilling level “I need to work it work it” (as Madascar’s lead character said “I’ve got to move it, move it”).  I love You with all my heart.  You know it and I know it but I don’t always keep my heart as pure and Holy as You want me too.  I judge myself and others, I let thoughts flicker by that aren’t gorgeous.  I want to have the right-ness and Holiness that will create the perfect heart and the perfect me.  I do realize that my heart is the root of my “issues” so purify it, cleanse it and I will work hard to keep it close to You and guard it with and for You.  Loving You forever!!  Let’s go enjoy our day God. I want to see more of your beautiful world!!  Fun day ahead with a pure heart and alone time with You.  Soooo excited.