I watched a picture of my heart beating.
June 8, 2007 (Friday) – Today is the final day of VBS for 2007, and tonight is the big finale, with Family Fun Night at 6:00 p.m. It’s been a great week. Thanks to everyone who made it so.
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Yesterday I had my stress tests, and they were a breeze. When I stepped off the treadmill, my doctor said, “You did great!” One of the tests involved the injection of a radioactive substance, so look out, I may become the next comic book hero. Can you see me gliding down to the pulpit on a silken strand I’ve spun? Been itching to hold a lightbulb in my hand to see if it lights up. As I said in yesterday’s blog, I’m in great shape, I think. I’ll know for sure when the results are discussed with me June 28.
As I watched a picture of my heart beating over and over, I thought, “Is there a machine anywhere that can keep on working for more than 75 years without a breakdown, or a stop for maintenance?” As the Scriptures say, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. If I can believe the books I read, my heart started beating around 8 months before I was born. If that’s true, my heart is older than I am (we will now pause so that everyone can muster one of those incredulous smiles we all make).
Please answer this for me: why do we say, “I love you with all my heart,” instead of, “I love you with all my liver?” The liver is a vital organ, too. The only answer I know is, “That’s the way people talk. Get used to it.”
The New Testament uses “heart” as a metaphor. Mt 5:8 the pure in heart, Mt 11:29 lowly in heart, Mt 13:15 the heart of this people has become dull, Mk 3:5 the hardness of their hearts (also Eph. 4:18), Lk 2:51 his mother kept all these sayings in her heart, Lk 24:25 slow of heart, Lk 24:32 Did not our heart burn within us?, Acts 4:32 were of one heart and mind, Acts 5:4 place on your heart, Acts 13:22 a man after my own heart, Acts 16:14 The Lord opened her heart, 2 Cor 6:11 opened wide our hearts to you, Rom 1:21 their foolish heart was darkened, Phil 1:7 I have you in my heart. The word, “heart” appears 743 times in the Bible. The word is used to convey many ideas, especially in the Hebrew of the Old Testament.
So, next time you feel like telling someone of your love, don’t think about the word too much. Just say it: “I love you with all my heart.” They’ll know what you mean. And so will you.