GUARDING THE HEART

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Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV
[4] “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 

¶Is it possible that I would do anything with all my heart and soul and might? The closest I can come to imagining this is the relationship with my family. They become a part of my identity.  This is why God uses the marriage image in my relationship with Him. It is in fact in Him that we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). A man who queries his own soul wants to know what is in there, who he really is. Is this not something we readily know? Apparently not. We are to guard our hearts. From what? That would be from idols, from the accuser, who tempts us to be satisfied with lesser things than what He commands. 

When our first grandchild Ayla gave me her new name for me (Apo!), I did not take long getting used to it. I treasure it for what if represents about a new loving relationship in my life. God showers us with names we may use for him. My identity is not something I create out of nothing. It is the product of what I know of Him, the One who showers us with blessing and knowledge of Him, whom I praise and adore.

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