A Thought From "Dear Camp"

Just got back from a couples retreat this past weekend in Branson, MO. It was fun, relaxing and had great messages. Since here in Missouri it was opening weekend of deer season, the pastor holding the event, had the theme "Dear" Camp. It was a neat idea. Decorations were fitting and we were all given big bumper stickers that says "What happens at Dear Camp stays at Dear Camp"! Fun! The messages by Bro. Maury Gibson were insightful and badly needed in marriages today and for Christians in their other relationships too. ---friendships, parenting, siblings, pastor/congregation, etc.

One of my favorites (tho all were good) was about Setting Your Sights. In other words guiding your heart. People always say "just follow your heart" but the Bible tells us that the heart is wicked and deceitful and can lead you astray. Nowhere in scripture does it tell us to follow our hearts. It says several times to guide or lead your heart. We often get into trouble when we do not take control of our minds and bodies and bring them into subjection. That is how we allow ourselves to be lead astray. We guide our hearts by NOT allowing certain things to creep in, with our eyes and with our thoughts. The Bible says in Matthew 6:21 that "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". What we treasure is where our minds will dwell. What we treasure is where we will spend our time and money. Thoughts can be brought into subjection however (1 Cor. 9:27), and that is one way we guide our hearts.

People don't fall out of love. They allow their treasures (thoughts and desires) to drift to other things. They stop guiding their hearts to where they should be. They invest their thoughts, possibly even time, to go where it should not dwell and then pretty soon they go from I want to love and be with this person til death do us part to I don't know if I want to and from there to I don't want to.

Hobbies, co-workers, other people begin getting more investment than the spouse. When that happens often the spouse begins to stop investing. Then there is the claim "fell out of love". No, both stopped guiding their heart. They stopped investing their treasures where they should. We need to Set Our Sights on our own "dears" and guide our own hearts, zeroed in on that dear we once promised to love til death parts us!