And the beat goes on....

Throughout this weekend I am wearing a blood pressure monitor which takes a reading of my blood pressure every 20 minutes. It has been quite a learning experience so far. Every twenty minutes my life is interrupted by two electronic beeps that announce the gentle squeeze on my arm as the blood pressure cuff inflates. The expression "time flies" has taken on a new meaning. Twenty minutes is experienced as the briefest of times; a moment, a hiccup, a blink of an eye. Each subsequent squeeze is a reminder that time cannot be halted. Each twenty minutes is a precious gift not to be squandered but to be enjoyed.
The cuff's inflation and deflation as the monitor reads my blood pressure is a manifestation of the miracle of the human body. Without any conscious effort on my part, the beat goes on. The heart beats and blood flows through an interstate system of arteries and veins and the result is life. We go about our business, sleeping, eating, loving, working, and playing and the beat goes on. Until this anatomical miracle breaks down we simply take it for granted. On this weekend, every twenty minutes, I remember the words of the Psalmist:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

(Ps. 139:14)