 How often have you ladies heard the phrase, “Guard your heart” or told someone else to do that? What’s so important about the heart that God even had to remind us of this? Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” God has been commanding us to protect our hearts since the earliest days of humanity. At first glance, many Christians would assume God has meant protecting our emotions and feelings, which manifest from a heart’s condition. But, thanks to the contributions of medicine, we can take this command as much literally as we can figuratively. And, we know that the times we are living in have not been very good for our hearts. The number one killer of the United States doesn’t have to do with our feelings, it’s disease of the fleshy, beating heart. Heart disease comes from a number of issues and unfortunately half of you reading this have or will have heart disease in your lifetime. So, what does this have to do with this proverb? The heart is one of the few organs that doesn’t require conscious direction to perform its function. Every day the heart beats about 100,000 times and delivers blood to all the extremities and back to the heart. However, for centuries people have attributed diseases to a person having “bad blood.” So they would use leeches to drain them of quarts of blood in hopes of healing a person. Fortunately, we understand why that is not true anymore, but it has been said since the beginnings of humanity that blood gives life. Leviticus 17:11 warned God’s people not to eat anything with blood in it because a creature’s life is in its blood. So, what is blood made up of? A normal red blood cell navigates blood vessels with oxygen along with proteins, nutrients, salts, and water. All of which we need in order to survive for anything more than a fraction of a second. God created such an intricate cardiovascular (heart) system for us made up of muscles, valves, arteries, veins, and chambers. And they are all working together to keep us alive. But there is someone who has different motives for our hearts, and he has been seeking to destroy us by using our own worries and insecurities. Satan only wishes destruction for us, so he creeps into our minds making us doubt God. Worries, anxieties, and stress are intangible issues but all have been positively correlated to disease of the heart. What do you do when you find yourself faced with struggles and obstacles? If you are anything like the rest of us, you worry and stress about it. The best way to handle it is not to worry, but instead pray and give it to God. God gave his own lifeblood for us in His son Jesus whom He sent to die for our sins. His blood was given as the atonement for our sins when He died on the cross. Jesus understands the burdens and worries we all face, He promises us that if we guard our hearts by resting on Him, we will have life and peace. He instructs us not to worry, I believe because He wants to guard our hearts from the lies of the Enemy. I will leave you with God’s promise in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  About Luwam Luwam is a junior at the University of Colorado Denver. She came to know Christ in her freshman year and has continued to grow closer with him ever since. She loves science and is studying Public Health. Luwam hopes to get a career in medicine to ultimately go into medical missions to third world countries using her skills to preach the Gospel to people who don't know Jesus. She has a unique gift of being able to see God's heart and character displayed in science. Sharing this article over at these awesome blogs.
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