Standing Guard: Keeping What Matters the Most
By Justin Pratt, Clear Springs Baptist Church Senior Pastor
Last week, I had the privilege of speaking in the stunningly beautiful city of St. Augustine. Founded in 1565 by Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and 800 Spanish settlers, this city was known as Spanish La Florida at the time. St. Augustine is rich in history and proudly holds the title of “Oldest City in America.”
Along its waterfront stands the Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the United States. This fortress has withstood wars, storms, and the relentless passage of time. By the late 1600s, the Spanish recognized the need for a stronghold to protect the city from invaders and pirates. The result was a remarkable feat of 17th-century engineering: massive walls made from coquina, a type of limestone composed of seashells that can absorb cannon fire without crumbling. This fort was designed not only to endure but to prevail, and it has done so for centuries. Over the last 300 years, many different flags have flown above its ramparts as it changed hands numerous times, always through peaceful transition because it remained impenetrable and was never conquered. Every tower, every gate, and every stone barrier was constructed for a single purpose: to protect what was most valuable.
That ancient fortress rising over St. Augustine paints a vivid picture of Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Just as the Castillo de San Marcos was built to withstand centuries of attack, Solomon commands us to stand watch over our hearts. Our enemy may not come with cannons and muskets, but he will attack through a variety of methods in hopes of compromising our integrity and destroying our lives.
One of the greatest spiritual disciplines for every child of God is to be fortified against the spiritual enemies that seek to invade with fear, bitterness, pride, temptation, and doubt. A careless heart is like an unguarded city that will always be easily conquered. When life fires its hardest shots, a heart fortified in Christ doesn’t break apart; it absorbs the blow through faith and grace. Just as a Spanish fort was built to protect a city, we guard our hearts to protect our calling, our witness, and our relationship with God. The strength of the fort determined the safety of St. Augustine, and the condition of our hearts determines the strength of our lives. The Castillo still stands today, a silent sermon reminding us that what is carefully guarded remains standing.
We must remember that every decision, every desire and even the direction of our lives stem from where our hearts lead us. Solomon, therefore, gives his son an important piece of advice: above all else in life, make sure to guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. This serves as a reminder that prioritizing the protection of our hearts is essential to safeguarding our lives.
The best way to protect the spiritual heart is to build a strong barrier around it that limits what can enter. In the following verses from Proverbs, Solomon advises his son: “Put away from you a froward mouth, and let perverse lips be far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead, and let your eyelids gaze directly before you. Consider the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; remove your foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:24-27).
The key to safeguarding our hearts is to be vigilant about what we allow in and what we let come out. As believers, we are called to avoid harmful speech, be mindful of what we see, consider the direction of our steps, and protect how we use our hands. These represent the four barriers we build around our hearts.
When we allow Christ and His Word to serve as the cornerstone of our defense, no assault of bitterness, fear or temptation can penetrate our walls. A guarded heart is not a hardened heart; rather, it is a heart strengthened by grace, rooted in truth, and secured by the presence of God.
