Heartbeats and Flow
By Nita Gilger
How aware are you of your heartbeat? I usually don't think all that much about mine but I am extremely fortunate to have excellent heart health. I have done all the Smart Beat tests which indicate great function and no problems. My blood pressure is amazingly low. Other family members, however, are not so lucky and we have had some close calls. When I really dwell on the amazing miracle of how our hearts are created and how they function, I am blown away.
Our hearts are incredibly hard-working. This fist-sized muscle acts as a pump for our entire body and works with all the other organs. It beats approximately 100,000 times a day to push blood through 60,000 miles of vessels, delivering oxygen to our bodies. I realize that I should never take my heart for granted---physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
I think of our hearts as the metaphorical place where blessings can arrive to grant us courage and peace. God's love and blessings can come to us and in us like navigating our circulatory system. Just when we need fear to be abated or worry soothed, God's love and peace can pump through us if invited, providing all the nourishment and functioning we need,
I am not going to try to convince you or myself that there is no reason to be afraid. The world sometimes gives us good cause for fear. Instead, I would like to suggest that God’s blessings can go straight to our hearts and to our very breathe itself. Think of God’s love as filling every chamber of our hearts and traveling to every frightened nerve in our bodies. It offers a soothing quiet. Imagine God’s presence as humming through every vein, nurturing every cell, giving courage and peace.
Today, as I take each step and breath each breathe, I am going to try to be aware of Presence, flow, and provision. The Bible advises us more than 300 times to not be afraid. "Fear not!" is said repeatedly in one form or another. But that guidance is not like turning a light switch on and off with instant results. It is more akin to our hearts. It is like a muscle that needs to be worked out and cared for each and every day. To attain and receive peace, wisdom, and balance in my spiritual life and, in life in general, I need to have an open heart. I need a heart that is well-cared for and exercised.
Prayer: Thank you for every beat of my heart and for the flow of Spirit that You so freely give. Ready, set, GO! The day has begun and You are here. Amen.