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Keep thy Heart

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 27, 1875

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 45, No. 22.

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“Keep thy Heart.”

By E. J. Burnham

“Give me thy heart,” is the demand of our Father. He has bestowed upon us all the blessings we enjoy. He has made provision whereby we may gain eternal life. What affection for us and what interest in our welfare are summed up in the words: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” “Every good and perfect gift” is from his hand. In return he asks the whole heart—the undivided affections. But he entrusts the keeping of the heart to ourselves. “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
“Keep thy heart.” Let not vain and trifling thoughts occupy the mind. Do not permit envy, hatred, or malice, to find a lurking place in the heart. The hour of Judgment has come. The solemn, closing scenes of the work of the gospel are just before us. These are themes that may well occupy the mind.
“With all diligence.” A wily and powerful foe seeks our destruction. The conflict between right and wrong is a ceaseless one. “The Christian life is a battle and a march.” To lay off the armor, and neglect watchfulness and prayer, is to surrender to the enemy. Hence the command: “Keep thy heart with all diligence.”
“For out of it are the issues of life.” Here we have a reason assigned for the exhortation to diligence. From the natural heart proceed evil thoughts, thefts, covetousness, deceit, pride, foolishness (Mark 7:21, 22). We are told, too, that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” If these evil weeds are allowed a place in the heart, they will spring up and bear bitter fruit in the life. But those who would form beautiful characters, who would have the fruits of the Spirit abound in their lives, must “follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.”
Satan knows well the importance of keeping possession of the heart. He tries to fill the mind with doubts, or, failing in this, to crowd it with unprofitable, selfish, or idle thoughts. We know that our time is short, that we must be without fault if we would pass the Judgment and stand acquitted before the throne; knowing these things, we cannot be too diligent in resisting the devices of the enemy.
E. J. BURNHAM.