Imagine a
kingly throne. The throne is the seat of control in a realm. It is where the
king makes decisions and charts the course for the kingdom. Now imagine that
this throne is located not in a castle but in your heart. In the Hebrew
culture, the heart was a metaphor for the center or the core of a person. Thus,
whoever sits on the throne of your heart rules your life.
Something
we need to understand is that Only God is King. And this God is the creator,
sustainer, and consummator of all that has being. And he tolerates no rivals.
This one who claims us insists upon being the One who alone may sit on the
throne. There are to be no rivals; there is to be no divided reality. Perhaps
this imagery casts a different light on the following proverb: "Above all
else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23
Above all else…
Your heart is
your most valuable spiritual asset thus is your greatest priority.
…guard your heart…
This word, "guard," means to
diligently protect against the enemy. When your guard is up, you aren’t
passive. You are pro-active. Paul agrees that the best defense is a good
offense:
“Put to
death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” Colossians 3:5
…for it is the wellspring of life
Another
translation says, "Everything flows from it." Or as Proverbs 27:19
says, "As water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man."
The heart is the truth of your identity; that’s why the gods fight so fiercely
for every inch of it.
The gods
are at war and their strength is not to be underestimated. These gods clash for
the throne of your heart, and much is at stake. Everything about you,
everything you do, every relationship you have, everything you hope or dream or
wish to become depends on what god wins that war.
