There are hearts in need of resuscitation

"But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!" Ephesians 2:4,5 NLT

In an article published by Fox21 News on Saturday titled "'I was dead for 24 minutes’: Runner thanks those who saved his life," it was reported that Mark Smith was finally able to rejoin the runners who resuscitated him after he went into cardiac arrest a year ago. “It’s just an honor to be here to have this opportunity to say thank you to people and meet them because I was dead. And so being able to run with them has been so great,” he said. Smith returned to the Garden of the Gods 10M/10K/Trail Race to meet the team that bravely stepped in and saved his life in 2021 at the very same race. “I was running along and I looked down and said ‘oh, there’s Rock Ledge Ranch’… and then I was in the hospital,” Smith said. The quick actions of several runners and onlookers had kept smith alive for 24 minutes before he was able to get an automated external defibrillator (AED). “We, just as a group were like okay, we got to start compressions and everyone get in line we need to do this,” said Kathy Cheney, one of the runners who stepped in to help. “I was dead for 24 minutes. But you were there. You dropped to the ground and started compressions or in some other way kept me alive for those 24 long minutes when the AED arrived,” said Smith. “Because of what you did that day, I lived. You did that. I want to say thank you. I want to meet the team that saved my life.”

And you know, it’s stories like this that remind me just how important it is for every runner to be ready, willing, and able to perform CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) at a moments notice. We just never know when we might have to bring someone back to life. Sadly though, there are millions of people in our world today that are in full spiritual cardiac arrest with no one ready, willing and able to deliver the Good News that causes dead hearts to beat again. And the Good News is this... “because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses.” It is by grace we have been saved! 

So knowing that those who are dead in their sin are in desperate need of spiritual resuscitation before it’s too late, may we be found ready, willing, and able to speak the words in red that bring life into all that is dead. Let us be the reason someone can say, “Because of what you did that day, I lived. You did that.”

Heavenly Father, thank You for this reminder that we may only have a brief moment in time to perform the necessary steps to save someone from dying both physically and spiritually. Lord cause us to be ready, willing and able to go wherever You call us to go and to speak whatever words You command us to say without hesitation. Compel us to study the Word daily that we might be equipped to win souls for Your glory. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!