Thursday, September 28, 2017

Do not follow your heart; train it

From the Lectionary readings set for Morning Prayer today:

‘Trust in the LORD, and do good;
so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.’
Psalm 37:3, 4

The heart is the seat of the will, or our capacity to make choices, to choose right from wrong, good or evil. According to Psalm 37, the deepest desires of the heart are for the security that comes through justice. However, the psalm also recognises the human propensity to seek short-cuts to security through other means—wealth, power, possessions—which lead us to exploit our neighbour, and so undermine the very thing we desire. The antidote is to take delight in the LORD.

Do not follow your heart; train it.


No comments:

Post a Comment