"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekial 36:26
On April 9, Arnold Smyth ran the Rock the Parkway 5k in Kansas City. No big deal right? Would you think differently if I told you that he ran it with a brand new heart? You see, in 2014, Smyth learned he had a failing heart and would die without a transplant. Thankfully last June, a donor heart was found and the transplant operation was successful. Afterwards, his doctors said he worked "twice as hard as everybody else" in rehab-all in an attempt to get back to running. This man, who had run half-marathons, was determined to get back out on the road. What a celebration it was then when transplant #663 finished his first race back accompanied by some members of his transplant team.
Wow! A new heart would certainly give a person a fresh start wouldn't it? Ezekial 36:26 would agree when it promises, "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." Like Smyth, many of us have a failing heart, hardened by stubbornness and a refusal to follow God. He wants to change that today though. He wants to take our sin-hardened heart and replace it with a Christ-softened one, a heart that is focused on Him.
Isn't it awesome to think that a heart that finds it impossible to repent and love God could actually be transplanted with a heart that desires to love and please Him? If your heart is failing today and in need of a transplant, won't you ask God, the Great Physician, to perform some sanctifying surgery? In a mere moment, He can transform that heart of stone into a heart of flesh and you can be off and running again.
Heavenly Father, thank you for your sanctifying work in our lives. Thank you for being the great Physician that can take a heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh in an instant. If there's anyone in need of a heart transplant today, I pray that they would make the decision today to allow you to transform and restore them. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment