100,000 times is how often the average heart beats every day as it pumps life giving blood through the human body. That's 36,500,000 times in a year and about 2,555,000,000 by age 70. No bigger than a fist it is the most important muscle in our body. We're constantly reminded to eat right, exercise, and watch our weight so we'll have a healthy heart. Life is difficult if it is weak or damaged. And, we know that life ends when it stops beating.

No wonder the Bible uses it as a metaphor for our attitude toward the true life giver - God. When Moses reviewed the giving of the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5 he reminded them that God wanted them to be fully given to Him. Moses included God's exclamation of hope that Israel would have a "heart" that feared Him and would always keep His commandments so that it would be well with them in the land (Deuteronomy 5:29).

Let's look at a few ways our spiritual heart is like our physical heart. First is the Proper Attitude. We must be concerned enough to protect it. Spiritually we need to be just a little bit afraid of God. Second is Proper Diet. Our spiritual hearts must feed on God’s word; “keep all My commandments". Next is Proper Outlook. We need to rejoice in God’s blessings. For Israel of old it was the good life in the Promised Land: "that it might be well with them, and their children forever". For the Christian it is the eternal inheritance (Ephesians 2:4-6).

So, when was the last time you looked into God's word and had a heart checkup?