Ready for a Heart Transplant?Because we were out-of-touch with the world last week while on our fishing trip, I missed two heart-breaking family notifications — the passing of a dear cousin as well as the passing of the 18-year-old granddaughter of an aunt and uncle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I thought about our cousin, who lived a most beautiful long life of service to God and others, but suffered for many years from strokes, I rejoiced that he is where we all desire to be and know that our separation is just temporary. Heaven is where we\u2019ll meet up with him again \u2013 sooner than later.
And, for our uncle, aunt and their children whose young 18-year-old daughter passed away, I could only think of heartbreak for a life lived for such a short period of time. I thought about heartbreak, heartache, broken heart and every other type of \u201cheart\u201d condition that needs mending, healing, restoring and I realized a heart transplant is what is needed. Psalm 34:18 says \u201cThe Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.\u201d I know that comfort so well because God gave me a heart transplant when my heart was broken. We\u2019ve all had our heart broken in some way and I would say to anyone that God cares about you and whatever your heart \u201cissues\u201d are. In fact, it is in our pain that God is closest to us. He gives us a heart transplant when we seek Him with our heart \u201cissues\u201d. It\u2019s His specialty.
For the heart that hurts from the passing of a loved one, He gives us a heart of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3). For a cold, stone heart, He gives us a soft, tender heart of flesh. For a heart that’s guilty, He gives us a heart that\u2019s forgiven. For the heart that\u2019s troubled, He gives us a heart of peace. For the heart that\u2019s anxious, He gives us a heart that\u2019s confident. For the heart that\u2019s lonely, He gives us a heart full of love. The heart that\u2019s bitter and angry? He gives us a heart that\u2019s forgiving and loving and generous instead.
So, today, if your spiritual heart is barely beating, I pray you to consider a heart transplant. I mean, go to God\u2019s operating room where He heals the broken-hearted, sets the captive free, restores the years the locusts stole, breathes life back into your lungs, creates beauty where there were only ashes. I, too, knew pain, worry, heartbreak, concern, fear, and sadness. But, because I also knew the power of trusting in God and His great ability to heal and restore me, I reckoned with the lies of the enemy, and I opened my heart to the truth of God\u2019s promises to me. I had a heart transplant.
There are voices in our lives that lie to us and they tell us we\u2019ll never be healed, we\u2019ll never get over the loss, we\u2019ll never forget the past, we\u2019ll never be restored, we\u2019ll never love again. But we must come into agreement with God who makes us new again, restored and healed. We just need a heart transplant and be willing to live again because God makes all things NEW when He gives us a NEW heart and spirit. (Ezekiel 36:26)
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