Daily Devotional – June 12-18
June 12 – Meditating on God’s Word
This devotional series offers less content but more opportunity for you to reflect, contemplate, and pray through the short Scriptures we offer. It is an opportunity to help us slow down and enjoy time in the presence of God. It is an exercise in listening with the intent of hearing from God through His Word and by His Spirit. Here is the passage for the week:
Proverbs 4:23-27, 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.
Prayer: “Father, this world is so dangerous. It wants to steal my heart for what is ungodly and unproductive. By the power of Your Spirit, give me wisdom and strength to guard this wellspring of my life. Everything else flows from the condition of my heart. Put on a muzzle on my mouth to only say what is helpful and praiseworthy. Keep my eyes looking at what is good and beautiful in Your sight. May I think rightly about the direction that I take so that I stay on Your holy and loving path. Amen.”
June 13 – Meditating on God’s Word
Proverbs 4:23, Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
Write out the Scripture. (As it is or in your own words.)
“Over all you do, make sure you guard your heart, for this is the deep well from which everything else flows.”
Observe what it is saying. (Answer the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions)
This is written in the larger context of Solomon’s call for his sons to live wisely and pay attention to his teaching that will lead them in the way of life rather than the path of destruction. These words are to be taken to heart for this is the source from which all of life springs forth. The urgent plea given then is to make sure we protect our heart from letting anything unwise and ungodly enter in because it will be detrimental to our overall wellbeing.
Relate it to your life. (Connect how this Scripture speaks into your life today.)
My heart is my most treasured possession so I need to do everything possible to care for it. I protect heart by intentionally and consistently downloading what is good, healthy, and beautiful for its healthy development. I can do so by attending to the private and public worship of God through its many forms.
Do something. (Pray it. Live it. Act on it.)
“Father, you have given me a tremendous treasure. Empower me by Your Spirit to be wise in how I care for my heart. Give me the discipline to ensure that I only import into it what will cause it to be holy and healthy for my overall spiritual health. Amen.”
June 14 – Meditating on God’s Word
Proverbs 4:24, Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Write out the Scripture.
“Keep your mouth clean from unacceptable talk; keep evil talk far from your lips.”
Observe what it is saying.
Solomon continues to describe what living according to the way of wisdom looks like. Here he says it matters the way we talk. Jesus would say that the words we use reveal the condition of our heart. So, if we have corrupted talk coming from our lips, then it’s a sign we haven’t guarded our hearts as we were urged to do in yesterday’s verse. Evaluating our talk is a good measure of the condition of our hearts.
Relate it to your life.
If I use words that are unwholesome or speak with a tone that is unkind or impatient, then I need to check my heart to see what is going on inside. I need to have a good chat with Jesus.
Do something.
“Father, purify my and cleanse my lips so that I may speak what is wholesome and good in a kind tone as I relate to myself and others. Amen.”
June 15 – Meditating on God’s Word
Proverbs 4:25, Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Write out the Scripture.
“Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”
Observe what it is saying.
On the road of life, we are to stay focused on God’s way which He has marked with His Word. There are many possible detours that can tempt us to take our eyes off the road of reaching our eternal destination. We can quickly get in trouble when we fail to maintain our concentration on God’s truth and become easily distracted by those paths that are far less than the holy highway of God. Such distractions can be dangerous and even deadly to our spiritual walk.
Relate it to your life.
I must stay focused by fixing my eyes on Jesus with Scripture, constant prayer, worship, grouping with others, and filtering the content that I let into the eyes of my heart.
Do something.
“Jesus, I choose to fix my gaze upon you throughout each day at home, work, school, or wherever I am. Correct me quickly when I start to look away before I fall away. Amen.”
June 16 – Meditating on God’s Word
Proverbs 4:26, Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Write out the Scripture.
“Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.”
Observe what it is saying.
Yesterday we focused on what we see, today, the emphasis is on what we think as we travel God’s holy highway. We are not just to think superficially, but give careful thought. We are to think through and consider the consequences for ourselves and others. To be steadfast is to be unwavering in our minds that the path we’re on will lead us to our eternal destination.
Relate it to your life.
By the Spirit of Christ, I need to consider how my choices will keep me on the road to eternity.
Do something.
“Father, through Your Son, Jesus, You have paved the way for me to confidently know and go the distance. Keep my thoughts pure so my way doesn’t become corrupted. Amen.”
June 17 – Meditating on God’s Word
Proverbs 4:27, Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.
Write out the Scripture.
“Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep from walking into evil.”
Observe what it is saying.
In walking the path of wisdom, we’ve been told to keep looking straight ahead and to be careful with our thoughts. Look and think before you walk! With these practices in place, we’ll be prepared to stay true to God’s path and to stay away from the evil that lurks along the way.
Relate it to your life.
There are many tempting detours and distractions along life’s highway. However, I need to keep my eyes focused on the prize of heaven and wisely think about the consequences I will pay if I chart a different path for my life. Jesus is the clearly marked highway, and Scripture is the guardrail so I have no excuse of getting lost along the way.
Do something.
“Father, thank you for giving us clear direction to our eternal home. You have given us Your Son to redeem and lead us so we won’t get lost. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus. Amen.”