Working in a cardiology department as a technician was one of the most satisfying jobs I had. It
was hardly a job of monotony and boredom but rather knowing that at the end of the day I had provided pieces of puzzles that helped save lives by making tracings of electrical activity of hearts. When someone came into the ER complaining of chest pains, fellow first responders and myself automatically began treating them for a possible heart attack. It is amazing how many people can surround a patient at one time and begin functioning in their area of expertise. I remember so well one of our patients that we called a “frequent flyer.” He came in one day, not heart attack urgent but needed to be checked out anyway. I began my set-of-instructions speech by telling him not to move and allow me to do all the work. I pulled out one of my stickers and immediately he stuck out one arm and then the other, all the while telling him that I was fine without his help. When he was all hooked up I reminded him - do not hold your breath, relax all your muscles and do not talk. It was like I had pushed a button. As soon as I put my hands on my machine, he began to talk. I politely reminded him - DO NOT DO ANYTHING.
Between all the tests given in the ER, patient history and their present complaints, frequently another more sophisticated test is ordered - a stress test. This test entails putting on the same stickers, a device that measures oxygen levels and an instrument that circulates on the chest to determine the activity of the heart. This time the technician gives different instructions. Instead of lying still on a bed, the patient is instructed to get on a treadmill and begin walking. The patient begins walking at a relatively slow pace to become acclimated to the machine, all the wires and the darkness of the room. When the technician and patient feel stress can be applied, the treadmill pace becomes faster and the incline increases. This continues until the readings on the machines and devices indicate that maximum stress has been reached or that the patient is beginning to labor too much and the test needs to be stopped. Readings are all recorded and a cardiologist interprets the findings to determine what course of treatment is necessary for each individual patient. No two readings are ever the same. It takes a trained eye to make a proper diagnosis.
You have a heart that has electrical impulses that can be detected through wires and transferred to a screen and paper that can be read in black and white. You also have another one that cannot be detected through your five senses nor can its functions be monitored on a piece of equipment. It is sometimes referred to as the essence of who you are - the real you. For the sake of discussion, let’s call it the spiritual heart.
From the moment of conception, electrical impulses are already active as each cell begins to divide creating new life. The baby does absolutely nothing in its formation - he is totally dependent on his mother. The drastic change takes place when the little one is born and takes his first breath. His body requires oxygen to survive and now no longer can rely on his mother for its supply. Welcome to the real world. Immediately this tiny little one is put on his own little treadmill to begin his own journey through mazes of ups and downs, highs and lows, victories and defeats, joys and sorrows, love and fear. What an exciting walk and run he has ahead of him. Some time in the past, God placed two individuals in a place whereby the residents did not need to do anything that required much effort. It was perfect, until one day it wasn’t. Adam and Eve’s disobedience created a chasm between the natural and the spiritual. How could they ever fix it? They couldn’t any more than a tiny two-cell individual could provide its own life’s survival resources. Genesis 1-3 relates the whole story. Since the garden, man tried so hard to redeem himself to get back in the good graces of God but could not. God’s plan was so far beyond what man could have ever dreamt, so He figuratively said, “Do not hold your breath, relax all your muscles and do not talk. DO NOT DO ANYTHING”.
When I would have patients hooked up on my machine, I could see exactly where their hearts were under attack - not from seeing with my own eyes from the outside but from the inside. God looked at the spiritual hearts of his creation and knew exactly where they had been attacked. The only source of reconciliation was through the sacrifice of His Own Son.
Galatians 2:8, 9 states the amazing mystery in just a few words. “ For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through (your) faith. And this (salvation) is not of yourselves - of your own doing, it came not through your own striving - but it is the gift of God; Not because of works (not the fulfillment of the Law’s demands), lest any man should boast. - It is not the result of what any one can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.” When a baby is born, the first sign of life is that he breathes, usually accompanied by a cry. What a wonderful sound that is to a new mother. Jesus used the same technique spiritually on HIs disciples just before He left this earth. It happened after His resurrection behind closed doors with His followers. His first words to them were “Peace to you!” John 20:22 says, “ He breathed on (them) and said to them, Receive (admit) the Holy Spirit!” A new baby breathes in air. When we believe that Jesus died and was raised for us, we breathe in the Holy Spirit, and a new life begins. God never promised that our journey on the treadmill of life would be easy but this is what He has promised. Hebrews 13:5b states, “I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. (I will) not, (I will) not, (I will) not in any degree leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let (you) down, (relax My hold on you) - assuredly not!” No matter the speed or level of incline of our treadmill, God is faithful and will not let us go.
You have an electrifying heart - both physically and spiritually.
Commentaires