I'm Being Engraved!

I have a favorite verse of scripture that I like so much I once set it to music, a very painstaking process for someone who isn’t really a musician. The scripture is found in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”


That verse repeated over and over in my head has gotten me through many a trial, but just the other day as I was reading it I opened my Bible and instead of starting to read at verse five I began at verse one and at verse three read, “Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart.”

Several things struck me about this verse. First, I love the juxtaposition of mercy and truth. It happens in many places in scripture not just here, but while endeavoring to Live in Truth I’ve discovered that it can’t be done without mercy. The two concepts go hand in hand. If I’m not merciful to those around me I fall in the Pit of Illusion hard and deep. Mercy is the key. The second thing that struck me was the fact that I should write truth “upon the table of my heart.” But how?

As I thought about that question I realized that writing on the table of my heart is done not by studying or thinking about truth but by living it. Every time I act in Truth and Live in Truth that Truth is written not with pen or pencil or even typed, but to write on a fleshy table it would have to be engraved. That implies to me something enduring and lasting and deep. Ink can be washed away, but engraving cannot. Thus when I Live in Truth something lasting happens to me. I change and the more I Live in Truth the more I change and grow for good. I like that! I’m going to go about my day engraving Truth on my heart!

The Lord Searches the Heart

I’m in beautiful California enjoying the sunshine. Yesterday when I left Utah they finally had sunshine. I’m counting on it still being there when I get home.

It is interesting how every time I prepare to do the Truth Seminar I learn more. For the past few months my daily scripture study has consisted of reading and marking a new set of scriptures with anything I find that has to do with Living in Truth. I’m using a green pencil to mark the verses and suddenly my scriptures are green.

One thing that appears over and over again is that the Lord judges us more by our motives than by our actions. We’ve all had experiences when we’ve desired and planned to do something good and it back fires. The recipients misunderstand or pride makes them react in adverse ways. But the Lord still credits the act for our good because He knows our intentions.

As He says in the book of Jeremiah, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doing” (Jeremiah 17:10). He gives us the agency to do what we want and then judges us by the actions we choose but also the heart or the motivations that prompt the actions.

Here's to Healthy Hearts

In Proverbs I found a piece of advice that I like. It says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). The Complete Jewish Bible translates that same verse as, “Above everything else, guard your heart; for it is the source of life's consequences.” And the NIV translates it, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

After reading these and other translations, I could easily see the importance of guarding the heart and began to ponder on how to do it better. I decided it entails keeping anything bad out and that takes concerted effort. Just as I strive to keep germs and bacteria out of my body, I need to keep filth and vulgarity out of my heart.

Right now I’m suffering from a cold, so evidently I’m not doing too well at the germs in my body thing. But that made me think some more. I am vigorously doing all I can do to rid myself of the germs and sickness. But when negative things like jealously, anger, resentment, grudges, or fear enter my heart do I spend as much time and effort ridding myself of them? Right now I’m using vitamins, herbs, and decongestants to fight my cold. I had these on hand and ready for the occasion the minute the sickness struck. This brings up another question. Have I acquired an “arsenal” of medications to use against sickness of the heart? When I feel these negative things creeping into my heart do I act immediately and fight off the negative emotions like I have this physical illness, or do I sit back and say, “Well that’s part of life” And let it linger?

Negative feelings are sickness to the heart which leads to negative issues in life and dire consequence. I think I’m going to work harder at guarding my heart; after all, I want my life to flow from a wellspring not a sickspring.