Every Breath I Take

Psalm 139:14 (NIV)  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

            Your heart beats around 100,000 times each day. Your body has about 6 quarts of blood. This 6 quarts of blood circulates through the body three times every minute. In one day, the blood travels a total of 12,000 miles—that's four times the distance across the US from coast to coast. When was the last time you thanked God for one of those heartbeats?

            You take approximately 23,000 breaths every day. The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide is a complicated respiratory task that requires physiological precision. We tend to thank God for the things that take our breath away. And that's fine. But when was the last time you thanked God for one of your breaths?

            Your kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist. They are located near the middle of your back, just below the rib cage. They are sophisticated trash collectors. Every day, your kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to your bladder through tubes called ureters. Your bladder stores urine until you go to the bathroom. When was the last time you went to the bathroom that you thanked God that your “plumbing” works?

            Your eyelids blink about 10,000 times each day (assuming about 8 hours of sleep). We have to blink to cleanse and moisten the eye. Each time the eyelids close, salty secretions from the tear glands are swept over the surface of the eye, flushing away small dust particles and lubricating the exposed portion of the eyeball. Our eyes are always forming tears. The blink wipes them away and protects and cleans the eye. When was the last time you thanked God for one of those “cleanings”?

            You have roughly 1.6 trillion skin cells. Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour - about 1.5 pounds a year. By 70 years of age, an average person will have lost 105 pounds of skin, but it’s not the best way to plan on losing weight. Humans shed and re-grow outer skin cells about every 27 days - almost 1,000 new skins in a lifetime. When was the last time you thanked God for the protection your skin gives… and continues to give day in and day out?

The average human mouth produces about two liters of spit every day. Our salivary glands, which are located on the inside of each cheek, at the bottom of the mouth and under the jaw at the front of the mouth, churn out about two to four pints (one to two liters) of spit every day. Saliva contains many important substances, including electrolytes, mucus, antibacterial compounds and various enzymes. Saliva keeps your mouth moist and comfortable and helps you chew, taste, and swallow. It fights germs in your mouth and prevents bad breath. It also has proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay and gum disease. When was the last time you thanked God when you smelled or saw something good to eat and your mouth began to water?

            Giving thanks should be as natural as all the ways our bodies were designed to work by God. But, unlike all these things, thanksgiving is not involuntary. It is an intentional act of worship. The more we know about God and His world (which includes the way He created us), the more we find to praise Him. Whether we do so is a moment by moment decision we make. May the Lord bring to our minds and hearts a thankful spirit with every breath we take.

     

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) ¹⁶  Be joyful always; ¹⁷  pray continually; ¹⁸  give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Colossians 3:15 (NIV)  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Philippians 4:6 (NIV)  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Colossians 2:7 (NIV)  rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

PRAYER:  Father, increase in me an attitude of appreciation and thankfulness to you in all things. Each time I learn something new, may it become an occasion for gratitude. I do not take for granted the wondrous way you have created me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!    

Scott