Gò0dNews for Everyone
Heart Matters
“C
by Amy Oyler
reate in me a clean heart, O God, and renew
acutely aware of that. Although I have never been a fitness
a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10).
buff, I have always attempted to maintain a decent level of
Well, age and genetics have finally crept
health and physical activity. Now that physical activity is
up on us. There are two of us dealing with heart issues
doctor-prescribed, anxiety has quietly slipped in as well.
in our immediate family now. Me. And the dog. Yes,
And guilt. I feel guilty for worrying about myself when
Humphrey and I are now both heart patients. You may be
there are so many other people to worry about.
asking yourself how we came to this place and what the
In conjunction with this new chapter of my life, I’m
diagnosis is. For me, I have a “weakened heart” from an
trying to also consider my spiritual heart more. Am I in
unknown cause, indicated by a pounding and irregular
good standing with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? What about my family and friends? Not to mention those outside of the realm of people I love. What am I doing to have a healthy spiritual heart? Some of you may remember Don Henley’s song “Heart of the Matter.” I like these simple words in the chorus: “I think it’s about…forgiveness.” How true. It’s what the Father offers us when we repent. We ask in The Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” We need forgiveness from the Father and, being forgiven, are obligated to extend it to each other. It’s what Jesus came to Earth to die for: forgiveness of our sins and our salvation. The Psalmist asks God to create a clean heart in him. Our spiritual heart health is as important as our physical heart health!
heartbeat over several months’ time. For Humphrey, it’s a
While we often think our issues are unique to our time,
heart murmur that has increased a stage level, indicated by
there really is “nothing new under the sun,” as the writer
occasionally coughing like a cat with a hairball. I’ve had to
of Ecclesiastes said several millennia ago. Human nature
think about my physical heart more in the last six months
and human hearts have not changed. It’s always been about
than I had my previous 51 years. And now I have to worry
forgiveness. It’s always been about what is in our hearts.
about the dog’s heart condition, too. There has been no
I cannot control others’ hearts, but I can ask for the Holy
pain involved, for which I am grateful. I am on medication
Spirit to live in mine. My heart matters, and so does yours!
now, which I loathe, but I do appreciate that it can be Suddenly, being a heart patient is stressful, scary, and has kept me up nights. It could be much worse, and I am
30 // April 2020
About The Author
treated that way. Amy Oyler is a native Roman and a member of Rush Chapel United Methodist Church. She is wife to Jason, a dentist in Rome, and mother to Tanner, Timothy, and Thomas. A former English teacher, she enjoys working with the youth at Rush Chapel and “floating” where God leads her!
