Whose heartbeat will He hear?

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: II Corinthians 10, 11; Proverbs 8

II Corinthians 10:17-18 (NIV)

17 But, “Let Him who boasts boast in the Lord. 18 For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

Good morning!

Joshua and Emily were telling Pa and Granny Deb the story of Adam and Eve in the garden last night, before we sat down to eat our Thanksgiving meal together. I don’t own a video recorder, but I wished I had one to record their version of this story. “Because Adam and Eve didn’t listen and obey,” Emily, said, while shaking her finger at me, “God said, “You two are outta here!” Emily shook her pointer fingers, aiming at the front door.” With one swift move, Emily swung her leg like she was kicking a soccer ball really hard. There was no doubt she was acting in an epic drama, and I tried to keep a straight face for such a serious moment, yet found myself bursting out in laughter. Why teach Sunday school when the children can tell the stories one hundred times better than I can? I think I’ll just let them teach me.

I heard and saw several living sermons yesterday. Thanksgiving Day is such a wonderful holiday. I meet people at Faith Church who come to help serve and deliver food. Many are friends of Faith. They travel from all over the place just to lend a hand, and it is such a blessing to meet these folks. While Jeff and I delivered food, one older woman greeted me at her front door, with tears straming down her cheeks. She was so very happy to see us! This woman clung to me like I was her long, lost daughter. It took a minute for me to realize that she actually believed I was her long, lost daughter. She begged for Jeff and I to stay and eat dinner with her. I could tell that she was a little bit confused, and as we talked, she began to understand that I was just a friend, and not really her baby girl. As her husband spoke to her with kind, gentle words, I noticed the sad look in his eyes. It is difficult thing when we forget how to remember. Oh, but how I wanted to stay with this precious lady. Had we not had other deliveries to make, we would have stayed a whole lot longer. Sometimes, when we find ourselves making a connection with a total stranger, even if it is only in our passing, God custom makes an extraordinary and holy moment – the kind that shapes the future of who we will become.

I feel asleep listening to the wise words of an evangelist. He was telling the story of a woman, standing over a heart patient in the cardiac intensive care unit of a local hospital. She leaned over and placed her ear near the chest of this man. He had just received a new heart. Even though he did not know she was in the room, the woman listened intently and found great comfort in hearing the beating heart of her only son inside the body of this man. Her child was gone, yet lived on n the life of another. What an amazing gift of grace!

Isn’t that just how God responds to each of us? His Only Son chose to lay down His life for the world. And now, God listens and longs to hear the heartbeat of His Son in each and every one of us today. Will God recognize the heartbeat of the Lord Jesus Christ living in me?

I am convinced that the love of our Lord is the only story worth sharing. He is the only One who has the power to transplant hearts with His love. There was a time when we behaved a lot like Adam and Eve in the garden; we didn’t listen and obey His command, Are we listening now? Whose life will we carry into the hustle bustle of Christmas preparation? People will be shopping today for the best buy, the greatest bargain, and the perfect gift. There is only one perfect gift I know of, and it cannot be bought at the mall. Help me Lord, to listen and obey you. I pray that you will hear the beating of your Son’s heart in my life today.

If I’m going to boast, let it be for the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ alone.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding

Faith UMC - St. Charles, MO

www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: a spiritual heart transplant! Let Jesus come into your heart this morning. He will transform your life forever! You will have something really wonderful to boast about, when the Lord of life lives in you. Will the Father hear the heartbeat of His Only Son beating in your chest today?

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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding

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