The Heart of the Matter
As the survivor of a silent heart attack years ago, part of my daily regimen includes taking a baby aspirin every day. Of course, I take other meds too, all of which help keep my heart healthy. Eating a healthy diet, regular exercise, and reducing stress are also part of keeping my “ticker” ticking! Those things, however, are not the only aspect of having a healthy heart.
If any of you watch The Sean Hannity Show on Fox News, you know that he always ends his program with the encouragement, “Let not your heart be troubled!” Christians may recognize these words of Jesus in the book of John, chapter 14. I’m not sure of Hannity’s reason for always giving this encouragement, but, since he’s primarily reporting on news and politics, it might be easy for his viewers to be concerned, troubled, or frightened.
A friend of mine always ends his emails with a similar exhortation, “Guard your heart!” Again, Christians may recognize these words from Proverbs 4:23 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” I appreciate my friend’s advice to all those with whom he communicates. We’re probably all familiar with the old saying, “You can never be too careful.” For someone who seems very accident-prone, I’m sure those who know me assume I’ve never heard that saying, or, at least, don’t take it seriously! Being careful with the primary organ which keeps us alive is important, but spiritually speaking, guarding our heart is even more important.
If any of you own pets, especially dogs, you are probably familiar with heartworm disease. Without getting too detailed (or grossing anyone out), a mosquito bites an infected dog and becomes the host to the heartworm larvae. When the mosquito bites a healthy dog, the larvae is now transmitted into the dog’s bloodstream and matures into an adult heartworm. The adult heartworms produce larvae and the whole cycle starts over. Unfortunately, heartworms can do severe damage to an animal’s heart, lungs, and other organs, often resulting in death. One method of protecting your pet is by giving them a monthly preventative, appropriately called “Heartgard”.
We know Satan hates God but can’t hurt him personally. He can, however, attack God’s beloved children. He often does this through our heart. Just as a heartworm infects a dog’s heart and spreads throughout its body, causing disease and death, Satan “infects” our heart and the results are often catastrophic. Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts – murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. A dog may look healthy but that doesn’t mean it’s not infected. We may not commit a particular outward sin but that doesn’t mean our heart is not infected.
So how, exactly, do we “guard our heart”? What’s our spiritual Heartgard? We can guard our heart in several ways. Regular attendance at worship is one. Daily devotions and immersion in God’s Word are two more. Association with fellow believers is important. (Bad company truly does corrupt good character.) Prayers for strength and purity are huge benefits. It may sound simplistic, but thinking about the right things is a skill to develop, too. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”
Even when we do our best to guard our heart, unfortunately, it can still get infected. Heartworm disease in dogs can be treated. It is very expensive, requires multiple injections, and often is futile. Our heart can also be treated. The cure is free, requiring only one treatment, and is always successful. The cure for our “infection” is an application of the blood of Jesus Christ! So guard your heart, rely on God’s cure, and let not your heart be troubled!