God placed our hearts at such a great value that He sent his only Son to die on the cross for our sins so we could have a personal relationship with him.
If we really believe, God values our hearts enough to send His son to die for our sins we must guard our hearts. By guarding our hearts, we protect our relationship with Him. We must choose to abide in Him on a consistent daily basis, it does not happen automatically. He desires for us to handle our hearts as His treasure, holding it tight and not be careless.
As grandparents, let’s pray that our grandchildren will allow their hearts to be tender and teachable to God’s Word, and not be careless with His treasure. Our grandchildren live in the midst of a battle; a brutal and vicious war against a subtle and friendly enemy who knows his time is short. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” When we guard our own hearts, we can have a part in nourishing the hearts of our dear grandchildren so they will recognize the deception of the world and guard their hearts.
How do we guard our hearts? We protect, defend, and shield our hearts from the enemy by developing an intimate relationship with God. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1. “Set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things.” The enemy wants to rob our hearts, trying to get us over-whelmed, defeated, and tired. The enemy wants us to be so busy that when God wants to get our attention and communicate with us His call goes to “voice mail.” As grandparents, we can set an example by demonstrating that our relationship with God is a high priority for us.
A weak or empty heart is vulnerable to temptation by the enemy. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” When we are tired, sad, and discouraged or when our hearts are cluttered or divided we are often weak. However, when we yield to temptation, God has made a way to escape. If we confess our sin, He will forgive our sin, and cleanse our hearts because we are His treasure.
Paul tells us several times that we need to be strong in our faith to resist the enemy. By choosing to spend time in God’s Word, communicating with Him in prayer, we can strengthen our heart to resist the enemy.
Encourage your grandchildren to invite Jesus into their hearts, grow strong in their faith, and guard their hearts. If you want to learn more about grandparenting with a purpose check out the my book Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for your Grandchildren at www.grandparentingwithapurpose.com.
Lillian Penner
Comments