Preparations of the Heart

Proverbs 16:1(NKJV)

1    The preparations of the heart belong to man,      But the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.

My reading in Proverbs today started off with this verse.  "The preparations of the heart belong to man".  Now that's an interesting choice of wording.  As I continued reading I found that there were several other references to the heart in this chapter.  Let's take a look at them.

Proverbs 16:5(NKJV)

5    Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;      Though they join £forces, none will go unpunished.

Proverbs 16:9(NKJV)

9    A man’s heart plans his way,      But the Lord directs his steps.

Proverbs 16:21(NKJV)

21    The wise in heart will be called prudent,      And sweetness of the lips increases learning.

Proverbs 16:23(NKJV)

23    The heart of the wise teaches his mouth,      And adds learning to his lips.

I think we are all born with an innate need to know God.  That is what initially leads us to seek answers and receive salvation.  But for many it ends there and I think that is sad because God has such a rich life planned for us if we will only  look to Him.

As part of that journey though, we have a responsibility.  "The preparations of the heart belong to man"  We have a responsibility to prepare our hearts to receive God's word and guidance.  The other verses give us some ideas on why it is so important to prepare the heart. 

How do we do that?  You're probably getting tired of these words but by diligently seeking God.  By being in God's word consistently.  By being in communication with God.  Not just a quick prayer but by taking the time to be still and listen for God to speak to you.  And most importantly in my opinion, by doing it joyfully and happily. 

That's part of the heart thing.  Just like God loves a cheerful giver, I think God wants to see us excited, joyful, and happy to seek Him.  If we approach our time with God as a duty or superstition instead of truly seeking to learn from God, that is a heart issue and I think God can see right through that.

God has a great life planned for each and every one of us but the cool thing about God is that he will never force it on us.  He puts the responsibility on us first.  We have to show God that we earnestly want to live the life He has for us and the way we show Him that is by "preparing our hearts"!