I went to see my cardiologist a few days ago. I have AFib and I get checked annually to make sure my heart is okay. The technician checked my pulse, my blood pressure, did an EKG, and asked a litany of questions about my prescriptions, my lifestyle, and my overall health. She got all the paperwork together for the doctor, grabbed her equipment, and left me alone in the exam room.

It wasn’t long before my doctor came in with his signature smile and greeting, “How you doin', preacher?” He looked at all the paperwork and charts, gave me a pat on the knee and said, “Looin’ good! How ya feeling?”

We chatted for a good little while and then he said he wanted to see me in 6-months, not my usual year between exams. I asked him about it and he said it was because I had a couple of days when my AFib flared up and he just wanted to be sure my heart was doing what it’s supposed to. Then he smiled and said, “See you in 6-months!” and left the room.

As I dressed to leave, I couldn’t help but think that I thought my exam was going to be routine, the cardio team would do their thing, then I’d come back in a year just like I always do. The problem was, while I felt okay and everything seemed normal on the outside, my heart wasn’t as healthy as I thought and needed to be checked out sooner than later.

And you know what? It’s like that in our Christian life sometimes, isn’t it? By all accounts and appearances, we’re doing fine…we’re living good, clean, moral lives, but on the inside, our heart really isn’t where it needs to be, and it has to be examined and restored to a healthy relationship with God.

Stay tuned, as we go the Great Physician, because It’s Time for a Heart Check, on this podcast.