The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!” Proverbs 22:13
I find it odd that the word used is "sluggard." It would seem more fitting for the word to be "scaredy-cat" or "chicken", but not "sluggard."
This verse speaks of how deceitful we can be in our hearts. We can conjure up all sorts of ideas and excuses to avoid doing the things we ought to do. Often, we succumb to our emotions rather than the rational, and we say things and make choices that go against the word of God.
In John Piper’s devotional ‘Solid Joy’, he writes this: “One more profound biblical insight we need to learn from this is that our heart exploits our mind to justify what we want. That is, our deepest desires precede the rational functioning of our minds and incline the mind to perceive and think in a way that will make the desires look right, even if they’re wrong.”
This is something we must be aware of in our lives to walk in step with God. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” It is a wise saying that reminds us that we must guard our hearts because we know that from its deepest recesses comes our thought life which will in turn affect our walk with the Lord. What are our deepest desires?
A Prayer:
Lord keep my heart well so that the deepest desires are only to seek You and to serve those around me in love. Help me not to be foolish and make excuses so that I might try to justify my desires. I dedicate my whole heart and thought life to You.
May You be glorified through my words and deeds. Amen.
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