Lord, give me a new heart

I have a funeral this morning for a woman who had a heart transplant nine years ago. I've never met anyone who had that procedure done. It is a miracle of modern medicine. The funny thing is that from everything I heard about her, this woman had a heart of gold. She was a loving compassionate person. Her husband, like the husband in Proverbs 31, called her blessed. He said they never argued. They got along so well and their love flowed naturally to and from one another.

This woman didn't need a heart transplant. At least not the one associated with the center of feelings and emotions. Some of the rest of us can't say the same thing. One of the things that makes me sad about the church today is the fact that so many in the church have become critical, judgmental and hard hearted. When the average person on the street thinks about the church today they tend to think of the fundamentalists who claim God is ready to judge everyone and everything for their sins.

Now I can't debate the fact that we are all sinners. I don't know too many people who are perfect and the ones I do know are probably humble enough to admit they have their faults too. God has every right to judge us for our moral failures and our tendency to ignore him and do what we think is best.

Yet God has decided to give us a second chance. The apostle John says, "For God so loved the world that he gave us his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish but have everlasting life." To me, that means that anyone who believes in Jesus, who puts their faith in him and love him, will receive the gift of forgiveness and new life.

It is like getting a second chance. It is like getting a new heart. That was King David's prayer when he confessed his sin to God. He said "Create in me a clean heart, O God." Give me a heart transplant so that my love for you will take priority.

That's my prayer every day and I hope it will be yours too. Once you decide to walk with Christ your whole world changes. Your life becomes a continuous blessing. It is like have a new lease on life.

Be blessed. Cal