Most of you who read this blog know me or you know someone else that does. You are most likely aware, then, that this is a significant week in the life of me and my family. I am referring, of course, to the diagnosis a few days ago that I have serious artery damage. The response of the cardiology people that are now a part of my life will be triple bypass surgery next Tuesday, March 20.
It is not my intent to use this blog space to keep people current on my condition and the success of my surgery and recovery, but you will be able to get such updates on my facebook wall. Please feel free to find and "friend" me there, and to keep informed of my health status.
I realize that I am only a couple of days away from a scenario that does not sound pleasant, but I have to tell you that I am not afraid. I suppose that by Monday I might feel apprehensive--okay, I might even be a little bit scared--but I can say with total honesty that my fear is more about the pain of someone "sawing" into my chest than it is about someone not doing a good job on the bypass surgery and killing me. I know that it seems logical to worry more about the one part of the surgery that could kill me (that heart thing) than I should about the one part that will simply cause me pain (that cutting into my chest deal), but I don't. And I have a good reason.
Medical science has come a long way in the past couple of decades. When it comes to dealing with the heart, the advances are mind-boggling. Whereas bypass surgery was a risky proposition in the past, today it has become a remarkably safe procedure. Most of the time artery repair is done successfully and most of the time people live through the procedure. The people who work in the cardiology field are extremely knowledgeable and extensively trained. Fixing hearts is what they do and they do it well on a regular basis. And because they know hearts and repair hearts, and because they do it with such consistency, I am able to have a sense of peace about putting my life in their hands. I know who they are and I know what to expect from them. That is enough for me.
God fixes hearts, too. That is what he does: he takes something that has been damaged through misuse and neglect and laziness, and he operates on it so that the patient will have continued and improved life. I don't doubt that physical surgeons are able to lovingly care for me, so why should I doubt that the true heart physician will and can do the same with my spiritual sickness?
But for some reason, we tend to doubt God's ability to fix what is broken while not thinking twice about putting our confidence in men.
I assure you that on Tuesday morning, when preparations are being made for my procedure, I am not going to ask to remain awake so that I can supervise the surgeon. It is ridiculous to even suggest such a thing. I will not give advice on the procedure and I will certainly not try to put my hands anywhere into the mix. I want nothing to do with anesthesia, incisions, or artery removal and relocation, because I know nothing about those things--and interestingly enough, if I try to help the doctors fix me...I am going to die. Why then, do I want to help God fix my spiritual heart? Don't I understand that dabbling with functions I know nothing about will not help me?
I know that many people think I am saying that we should not do anything, but I am not saying that at all, because once the doctor has fixed my arteries, I have every intention of living more confidently than ever before. I am going to feel better, I am going to be happier, and I am going to be wiser. I plan to live better for me, for my family, and for every person that I meet each day--but I won't be able to do that until my heart gets fixed.
So, I resolve to let God do the spiritual heart surgery. I resolve to quit trying to help Him do it. And I resolve to use the spiritual health that He gives me to live more confidently, more happily, and more usefully.
What God fixes is truly fixed.
When God saves lives, their is real life.
Medical science has come a long way in the past couple of decades. When it comes to dealing with the heart, the advances are mind-boggling. Whereas bypass surgery was a risky proposition in the past, today it has become a remarkably safe procedure. Most of the time artery repair is done successfully and most of the time people live through the procedure. The people who work in the cardiology field are extremely knowledgeable and extensively trained. Fixing hearts is what they do and they do it well on a regular basis. And because they know hearts and repair hearts, and because they do it with such consistency, I am able to have a sense of peace about putting my life in their hands. I know who they are and I know what to expect from them. That is enough for me.
God fixes hearts, too. That is what he does: he takes something that has been damaged through misuse and neglect and laziness, and he operates on it so that the patient will have continued and improved life. I don't doubt that physical surgeons are able to lovingly care for me, so why should I doubt that the true heart physician will and can do the same with my spiritual sickness?
But for some reason, we tend to doubt God's ability to fix what is broken while not thinking twice about putting our confidence in men.
I assure you that on Tuesday morning, when preparations are being made for my procedure, I am not going to ask to remain awake so that I can supervise the surgeon. It is ridiculous to even suggest such a thing. I will not give advice on the procedure and I will certainly not try to put my hands anywhere into the mix. I want nothing to do with anesthesia, incisions, or artery removal and relocation, because I know nothing about those things--and interestingly enough, if I try to help the doctors fix me...I am going to die. Why then, do I want to help God fix my spiritual heart? Don't I understand that dabbling with functions I know nothing about will not help me?
I know that many people think I am saying that we should not do anything, but I am not saying that at all, because once the doctor has fixed my arteries, I have every intention of living more confidently than ever before. I am going to feel better, I am going to be happier, and I am going to be wiser. I plan to live better for me, for my family, and for every person that I meet each day--but I won't be able to do that until my heart gets fixed.
So, I resolve to let God do the spiritual heart surgery. I resolve to quit trying to help Him do it. And I resolve to use the spiritual health that He gives me to live more confidently, more happily, and more usefully.
What God fixes is truly fixed.
When God saves lives, their is real life.
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