And the Beat Goes On
…and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again. 2 Corinthians 5:15 (NKJV)
Sometimes the most precious ah-ha moments show up in God’s perfect timing. His comforting arms embrace us and He whispers in our ear, “I know you are hurting, but I want you to smile again.” The tears form rivulets down our cheeks as He takes our hand to guide us forward. Karen Sargent (Mornings with Jesus) shares her own experience.
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I scrolled through my FACEBOOK feed and stopped on an image that took my breath away. My friend Ron stood in front of a stranger. Head bowed, Ron had a stethoscope in his ears. One hand was on the stranger’s shoulder. His other hand held the bell of the stethoscope over the man’s heart. Instant tears blurred my vision.
Months earlier, Ron had lost his teenage son in a horrific accident. I didn’t have to read the text above the photo to understand that Ron was listening to his son’s heart giving new life to another human being. As I stared at the picture, I wondered what Ron must be thinking at that moment. Please take care of my son’s heart. Remember what I lost so that you could have a new life. Never take this gift for granted.
Surely conflicting emotions warred inside of my dear friend who had gone through such anguish. Utter grief. Awe and wonder. The bittersweet joy of hearing his son’s heartbeat again, despite his tragic and untimely death.
As I stared at Ron’s photo, eyes closed, listening so intently, I imagined another Father whose Son gives new life. The cost of Jesus’s sacrifice became real to me. Because of His death on the cross, I have a new heart. A new life. Eternal life. That’s a gift I don’t want to take for granted either.
FAITH STEP: Give yourself a healthy heart checkup. In what ways are you taking care of your spiritual heart? What action can you do today to make sure you don’t take Jesus’s sacrifice for granted?
Heavenly Father, thank You for the tough lessons in life that bring us closer to You. Help us to never take You for granted. During the hardest storms, teach us to hang on to hope. AMEN.