the heart

Proverbs 4:23
" Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."

"The heart is the seat and center of our identity, the essence or our total inner selves that expresses itself outwardly in word and deed." ~ Marshill Church abstract for "Proverbs: the Heart" sermon

I'm learning about my heart, that by default, it is sinful. That i do a lot of things for myself.
While i seek to teach Eliza about God, I find that i'm fall short so much. And all these seeking is turning me to God.

As parents, we're always trying to change the behavior of our child that's not good or not right. But really, it's the heart that's leading the child to behave in that particular way. The behavior is a manifestation of the heart. Same goes with us. When we do things that are destructive to ourselves or displeasing to God, the root of the issue is our heart. Fixing the outer behavior without the inner renewal isn't going to change things indefinitely.

Ezekiel 36:26
"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."
Jesus, is my redeemer. He renews me. He is patient. He is kind. He is the one who gives me that new heart. A new passion.

So as i live with a new heart, that's always renewed everyday in Jesus, I pray i'll grow be like Him, patient, kind, loving, wise, selfless. That i may honour Him and glorify Him. And that as i guide Eliza to find wisdom in God's word, as i turn her to realize that her heart is the wellspring of her life, she will learn about sin, God's love, God's forgiveness & grace, Jesus sacrifice and redemption...and by God's grace, she'll live as a child of God.