If you're over 40 years old, your heart has already beat more than 1.5 billion times. I know that when my heart stops, it will be too late to change my ways. So I've been trying to control my weight, get exercise, and watch not only what I eat but also what's eating me.

This last point relates to another vital organ called "the heart"—our spiritual heart. It too has throbbed millions of times with thoughts, affections, and choices. In the heart we determine how we will speak, behave, and respond to life's circumstances (Proverbs 4:23). Will we trust the Lord and choose to be gracious, patient, and loving? Or will we yield to pride, greed, and bitterness?

Today's Scripture reading emphasizes the importance of caring for our heart. Are we keeping spiritually fit?

• Weight: Do we need to lose the weight of unnecessary burdens and cares?
• Pulse: Are we maintaining a steady rhythm of gratitude and praise?
• Blood pressure: Is our trust greater than our anxiety?
• Diet: Are we enjoying the life-giving nutrients of the Word of God?

Have you checked your heart lately?
  — Mart De Haan