The high meadows are painted with sage and lavender, golden yellow, coral and white—a brilliantly colored canvas of shrubs and wild flowers. The rickety blue truck winds its way through the mountain's furrowed brow as the clamor and din of the highway give way to birdsong and whispers of wind. The crack in my window lets in the fresh mountain air and I breathe deep.
In a tangle of evergreens and aspens the cabin sits, a small refuge tucked away in the tall trees. As the truck rolls away the silence presses heavy, and I am humbled at how small, how fragile a thing is man amidst the vast wild of untamed earth. The sky above races away to distant horizons; the ground below rises and falls at will, scoffing at the surety and safety of the city's cemented sidewalks.
It is in this hushed seclusion, removed from the everyday, that I set about the discipline of guarding my heart. Alone with my God, He pours into me and refreshes me. He clears away the clutter and realigns my focus. When I am centered in Christ, my heart is guarded. My life is balanced. I am secure.
Whatever resonates with you, whatever opens the doors of your heart to experiencing God and hearing His voice, cultivate it! Make time for it. Guard it. When we center our hearts on God, we find confidence in who He made us to be and the calling He's placed on our lives. We are equipped to embrace selflessness as Jesus did, and our lives flow—each in their own unique cadence—to the rhythm of His perfect will!
Reflection Questions
- Take a moment to identify where you go when you need to hear from God. Is it the top of a mountain? Or maybe a sanctuary? Perhaps you find Him in music or art or the encouraging words of a godly friend. Wherever it may be, recognize the type of setting that draws your heart closest to God, and commit to cultivating that time this week.
- In his book, Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas writes, "When we get too caught up in ministry and cut corners in our devotional time, the results can be disastrous. We begin to minister with the wrong motivations, risk losing our passion, and often are tempted to make it all about us instead of all about God." We cannot fulfill God's call without receiving His nourishment! What are some practical ways you can declutter your schedule in order to make time to guard your heart?