Springs and Sloughs

"Keep your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life."
Proverbs 4:23

When I was a little girl I would go to my uncle's home, a farm in Louisiana, where I would drink raw milk from his cows and where my cousin Mike and I would play in the natural spring that bubbled and flowed happily near his house. What fun we would have! It was one of those unforgettable experiences. My little heart would swell with joy as I jumped and played (and drank) in that stream. I didn't get sick, so I guess it was pure enough!

Our lives should be much like that stream, flowing happily, bubbling over with the joy of life, pure, and shining in the sunshine of God's wisdom. I believe that diligence is the key word in this verse. We must keep our heart with all diligence, working continually to obey the words of Scripture and to hide them in our hearts.

"Thy Word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." Psalm 119:11

Slough (slew):
A stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond, especially as part of a bayou, inlet, or backwater.

Yuk! Have you ever walked through a slough? Not so fun! It bogs you down, fighting against you as you try to cross, causing you to stumble, and just might fall right into it. It doesn't smell very good, either! That is what I think of when I read verse 16 of Proverbs 4:

"For they {the wicked} cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble."

Now, what do we want to flow out of us--springs of life or a smelly old slough?
(That is a rhetorical question, by the way!)

My prayer for all of us today is that from us will flow springs of life as we offer refreshing water to all with whom we come in contact.
Drink heartily!

Love,
Gloria