Guarded Hearts

Kasey Kahl on the Bachelorette reality show, told told his paramour, Ali, that he would "guard and protect her heart"! He was so serious and certain of her love that he had an heart symbol with that promise tattooed on his arm. This man was committed! But where in the world did he get such an idea?

Philippians 4:6 (ESV) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Kasey implied that he would protect Ali from the pain of unrequited love. Rejection and infidelity hurt! Kasey desired to protect Ali from that pain, but alas, Mighty Kasey struck out! Ali rejected Kasey and no one protected Kasey's heart!

In Philippians above Paul offers the definition first, and afterwards the saying.: "God... will guard your hearts..." and then added "and your minds". The guard is Christ Jesus. He is our protector!

Having the "heart guarded" as well as the "mind" is: 1) protection from anxiety, 2) inner peace. In effect Kasey meant that for Ali, but he wasn't the one who is able to do that! That lofty assignment belongs to Christ Jesus; "I know Jesus, and Kasey, you're no Jesus!"

Anxiety is the flawed workings of the mind. It's irrational thinking sometimes even about rational things! Anxiety is manifested by a cluttered mind with repetitive thoughts, a severe sickness in the pit of the stomach, insomnia, and even weakness, hurt and agitation. People, when there is high anxiety, may even have feelings of desperation strong enough to consider suicide. In short high anxiety is an utter lack of hope and feelings of helplessness. Christ Jesus, if we have faith, will guard our hearts from emotional pain and our minds from destructive thinking!

My anxieties are livable! In finance, romance, friendships, health, family, church and so forth, I can endure. All these things may weigh heavily and make me ill with worry, but many like all before me, can somehow squeak through! Sometimes I endure on my own and sometimes I lean on Jesus. Others turn to anti-depressants and stress medicines. Some turn to illicit drugs.

There is one thought which occurs, three times in my long life, which is profound! What if there is no heaven and my soul floats in darkness for eternity, or worse yet, what if my faith isn't sufficient to be saved from hell!

Eternal punishment is the justice to be suffered by those who fail to submit to Jesus. Imagine what you will, but hell is a real physical place in a spiritual realm with real pain, torment, isolation and hate. It lasts forever! That is enough to "scare the hell" out of anyone, if they only stop and consider! I came to Jesus to save my lousy soul and now love Jesus, the best I can, for saving me!

Consider an eternity of nothingness, if you don't believe in hell. However, because you don't believe doesn't change the reality of hell! "Nothingness" is a forgotten  _________ (your name here) with no existence. It's the destiny of carrots, trees and lizards; once here, now your not. Once being now no being. A lack of the universe having YOU is high anxiety if you're only stop and think about it! Even if you're cognizant after death, that makes matters even worse. In death you would be entirely alone in the expanse of nothing, an existence without end and in total isolation. That too is high anxiety!

 Jesus Christ "will guard your hearts and your minds". That is what "hope" does. Faith in Jesus is what protects Christians from anxiety and gives us peace. Peace is a condition where, due to hope, we don't worry about death and the afterlife. Where sinners imagine destitution, Christians hearts and minds are guarded!

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Romans 15:13 (ESV) "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Hope is having faith in what one cannot see! I believe heaven is there, because God has plans for me and within those plans are an eternal future and hope that what God promises is what reality is to be! Jesus "guards our hearts and minds" by the power of the Holy Spirit, who remains here to comfort Christians. When we are in despair, yet see light at the end of the tunnel, that's the Holy Spirit comforting us! When we doubt, but faith is restored, that's the power of the Holy Spirit!  No, we're not alone! We have a comforter and if we seek comfort, God has the power to do that. As Philippians says, our "hearts are guarded" by supplication and prayer.  "Supplication" is simply asking God and "prayer" is asking, listening and meditating on.  Those two things are communing with God.

Having a personal relationship with God through his mediator, Jesus, is how our hearts are guarded.  We are not alone!