By Petey Prater
Heart transplants are extremely rare. They take
hours of planning, sterile technique, and incredible expertise. Although I’m a
nurse I’ve never seen even one patient have their heart removed surgically and
replaced. But I’ve seen lots of heart transplants occur in places other than
hospital operating rooms. I participated when Pat, Joe, Arlene, Les, Sue,
Sandy, Lois and many others had heart transplants. In malls and parks and
filthy rooms I’ve prayed and watched as dead, stony hearts were removed and
healthy hearts were implanted. Not by the surgeons at Mayo Clinic but by The
Great Physician. God promises, “…I will give you a new heart and put a new
spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and
give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
Those who let Jesus operate on their broken, wounded
hearts are made whole. One touch from Him and sin diseased hearts are purified.
Incredible!
But
a pure heart alone isn’t enough to produce spiritual life. Something else is
needed. God says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood.” Leviticus
17:11 Adam and Eve were created with pure hearts. These first Eden creatures
were created from dirt and God’s breath. Genesis 2:7 Then sin overtook them.
Their human DNA failed and they fell, breath of God or not. Dirt and breath
don’t create pure hearts.
Animal
blood was shed as propitiation for Adam and Eve’s sin. God clothed them with
skin and they were sent from the garden. They began man’s wounded walk through
life. Centuries later, still wounded and infected with sin, believing mankind
falls at the foot of Christ’s cross, seeking forgiveness and healing. There
from the riven side of our pierced Savior pure blood
and water flood down, cleansing our wounds. Kneeling supplicants, transfused in
this manner, are healed. We are now blood brothers with Christ! Sin diseased
DNA is replaced with the perfect DNA of the Savior’s blood. The water of life
pours over us, scrubbing us clean from sin “…by the washing of water with
the word.” Ephesians 5:26 From our
inner being rivers of living water begin to flow. John 7:38
Science
states man consists of the chemical components of dirt, water (seventy to
seventy-five percent), blood, and breath. As sinful men, when we trust Christ
we’re cleansed from our filthiness. Our imperfect, failing DNA is purified by
transfusion with the blood of Christ, the pure Lamb of God, slain for the sins
of the world. We rise from beneath the Cross, complete in Christ – blood,
water, breath, dirt. We’re not perfect until we get to Heaven, but we are holy
because of His sin free DNA and the righteousness He imputes to all who obey
Him. Through the blood of Christ we have found a pure heart at last.
Our
prayer: Thank you, Lamb of God, for being my sin atonement and creating a place
and a portion for me among those who are consecrated and purified by faith.
Help me keep my heart pure before you. Amen.
Petey Prater writes from Beaverton, Oregon. peteyprater@yahoo.com