Proverbs 3:3 (New International Version)
"Let love and faithfulness never leave you: bind them around your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart."

I started reading Proverbs again. I mark in my Bible every time I start to read and meditate in one of it's books. Guess what? I read Proverbs last July too. It must be something about Independence Day and my own need to seek out wisdom from the One I never, ever want to be independent from (and I have such an independent spirit...dangerously so!) Anyway, I'm always a bit surprised when I "land in a book" again, and sometimes the timing is so very interesting!

Anyway, I love how God's Holy Word is truly "living and active", and boy do I see just how true that is. He always uses it in a fresh, new way. That's certainly true of Proverbs 3:3...

Sitting on my porch swing this evening, I was thinking about why, in particular, love and faithfulness would need to be bound around my neck? I think it's because they are the two foundational outward signs of seeking God inwardly for wisdom. I also think it's because the neck connects the head and the heart. Why is that of interest? Well...it's with one's thoughts and mind that decisions are considered and made; but it's with one's heart that passion and feelings are displayed. I think those emotions are what mostly fuel our decisions: sometimes for good, and sometimes for bad...because we haven't harnessed them well. I also think I'm someone who needs to engage my head (my thoughts) over my feelings. It's easy for me to be passionate about many things, but to step back and think them through based on the wisdom of Divine Guidance, lessons learned by others and my self, etc. doesn't come so easily!

Father, tonite and this week, help me to be bound by love and faithfulness: to thoughtfully exercise them in all aspects of my life. Let how I use my head to think them through be scribed on the tablet of my heart...so that passion will fuel my steadfastness...

Amen and Amen!