Machashabah

Pro 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand.

An old song says, "if my heart had windows, I leave them open for the world to see..."

These are the words of a Christian who wants everyone he or she knows to observe Christ in them, the hope of glory and the extreme love they have for Him.

Our verse tells us that the heart is full of devices. By definition, that can mean, contrivances, textures, mechanisms, intentions, plans, cunning, curious works and thoughts. I see the Hebrew word 'machashabah' and "hash" pops out at me. Ironic!

Our hearts can be extremely conflicted by the various and changing mechanisms that are contained therein.

Of course, the heart is used in the sense of the seat of our human emotions, not the muscle pumping blood throughout the circulatory system.

There are times I am not sure if I would want anyone to see the myriad of textures in my heart. At any given time, they might see resentment, anger, self-pity, doubt, lack of confidence, disappointment and worse. At other times, they could observe my heart bursting with love, gratitude, pity, mercy, faith and worship.

What makes the difference in the mechanisms for me is whether I am considering "the counsel of the Lord."

Like Peter on the raging sea, when I look at the circumstances, I begin to sink into the baser devices of the heart. But when I grasp the Lord's hand, I am lifted above the circumstances to unbelievable heights of glory.

Folks, when we look into the counsel of the Lord, the wonderful Word of Truth, the hash of our hearts always takes on all the positive Christian virtues. The beggarly elements, the mechanisms of sin and disobedience are defeated.

Let us look into the glorious counsel of the Lord early and often to assure that the devices of our hearts are the kind we wouldn't mind those in our world to witness.