My Son, Attend to My Words

 

"My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body." -- Proverbs 4:20-22, World English.

These tender words from Proverbs speak to every person who belongs to God—whether before Christ’s earthly ministry or after. They are the Father’s call to all who stand in covenant with Him: Listen closely. Treasure My words. Keep them at the very core of your being.

In these verses we glimpse two great truths. First, the path to eternal life opens only to the one who yields himself to God—who consecrates his life and shapes his obedience by the revealed will of the Father. Second, those who have already consecrated themselves can remain spiritually strong only by dwelling near the Word—pondering it, feeding upon it, and allowing its wisdom to shape the inner life.

We often underestimate how deeply the mind influences the body. God has fashioned us so that pure and holy thoughts lift the heart, steady the character, and even strengthen the physical frame. By contrast, thoughts that are impure or unworthy do more than stain the conscience—they weaken the moral fiber and stir into life the seeds of decay already present in our fallen nature.

Yet even this is secondary to the greater truth: the words of God impart life. Jesus came to unfold those words fully, revealing the Father’s heart and completing the message Solomon only foreshadowed. The teachings of Christ—found by searching the Scriptures with diligence—nourish the new creature, sustain spiritual vitality, and guide the believer toward everlasting life. (John 6:63) His doctrines are wholesome and sound; they steady the spirit and bring health to the whole person.

When a person bends his ear toward divine wisdom—when he listens eagerly, like a disciple seated before the Master—he has already begun the upward journey. Through Christ’s sacrifice, the grace of God rests upon such a one. And when the counsel of the Lord is welcomed deeply enough to dwell at the very center of the heart, a turning point has been reached. Love for God’s truth becomes genuine affection; the soul begins to say, “How I delight in Your law!” and wisdom takes root within.

If we follow the pattern of our Lord—setting our hearts on the things of the Spirit until they become our daily sustenance—then we, too, can say, “Your Word was found, and I received it with joy.” When Scripture becomes our meditation day and night, the Father’s words truly rest at the center of our hearts, shaping our desires, guiding our steps, and sustaining our life in Him.