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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
A Heart That Responds To God
May 10, 2007
This morning our fellowship was transformed into a medical clinic. Nurses
and technicians arrived at 8:00 a.m. and they set up partitions to delineate
three or four different "treatment" areas. The folks from Lifeline Screening
use their sophisticated equipment to determine if any of the patients have
hidden medical conditions that warrant immediate attention. The scanners
have the ability to discover if there are any signs of carotid artery disease,
aortic aneurysms or the beginning of osteoporosis. It is amazing!
Hearing about this new technology reminded me of my fascination with
the x-ray machine as a boy. It captured the imagination of a generation of
children. I remember watching cartoons that depicted a character walking
behind a screen that revealed his or her skeletal form. It always brought a
laugh as we saw the person in their most basic form. I carried this
obsession to the extreme. I once sent away for a pair of x-ray glasses so
that I could have the power to see people as they really were.
The fascination to know what lies beneath our skin or what is going on
within our brains has been with us a long time. New technology has
allowed us to see things we never dreamed possible. CAT scans and
diagnostic imaging have become valuable tools in detecting disease and
assisting physicians and nurses in getting a head start on the healing
process. The use of this technology means we don't have to guess at
what is going on beneath the surface as often. We can know more with
greater certainty.
The problem is that no matter how far we have come in this area, we are
still miles away from being able to detect the condition of one's heart. I am
not talking about physically. I am talking about spiritually, of course. Too
often we jump to judgment about what another person is thinking or doing.
We condemn them based upon what we see.
When I was in seminary I worked at a drop in center for the elderly in
Boston. One of the homeless men who came by regularly said something
that stuck with me. He was talking about his life and the mistakes he had
made. In the course of our conversation he said to me, "Young man, I
want you to remember this. There is always a reason for everything. It
may not be a good reason, but if you listen to people you will find there is
a reason."
What he was saying is that unless you know a person's heart, you will not
know their story. You can look at their outward condition and make a
judgment, but it will not be a fair one unless you know their story. The
good news for all of us is that God has something akin to x-ray vision. He
sees our heart and he knows our story. He sees the mistakes we have
made. He knows how hard we have tried and the number of times we
have set out to do the right thing. Yet he has not given up on us. He looks
at our hearts and he tells us that if we call on him, he will forgive us and
help us start over again.
God wants to give you and me a heart transplant. It's ours for the asking. I
pray you will join me and echo David's prayer and declare, "Create in me a
pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)
When you do, your sins will be forgiven and you will have a new lease on
life with all of God's blessings.
God bless. See you in church. Cal
May 10, 2007
This morning our fellowship was transformed into a medical clinic. Nurses
and technicians arrived at 8:00 a.m. and they set up partitions to delineate
three or four different "treatment" areas. The folks from Lifeline Screening
use their sophisticated equipment to determine if any of the patients have
hidden medical conditions that warrant immediate attention. The scanners
have the ability to discover if there are any signs of carotid artery disease,
aortic aneurysms or the beginning of osteoporosis. It is amazing!
Hearing about this new technology reminded me of my fascination with
the x-ray machine as a boy. It captured the imagination of a generation of
children. I remember watching cartoons that depicted a character walking
behind a screen that revealed his or her skeletal form. It always brought a
laugh as we saw the person in their most basic form. I carried this
obsession to the extreme. I once sent away for a pair of x-ray glasses so
that I could have the power to see people as they really were.
The fascination to know what lies beneath our skin or what is going on
within our brains has been with us a long time. New technology has
allowed us to see things we never dreamed possible. CAT scans and
diagnostic imaging have become valuable tools in detecting disease and
assisting physicians and nurses in getting a head start on the healing
process. The use of this technology means we don't have to guess at
what is going on beneath the surface as often. We can know more with
greater certainty.
The problem is that no matter how far we have come in this area, we are
still miles away from being able to detect the condition of one's heart. I am
not talking about physically. I am talking about spiritually, of course. Too
often we jump to judgment about what another person is thinking or doing.
We condemn them based upon what we see.
When I was in seminary I worked at a drop in center for the elderly in
Boston. One of the homeless men who came by regularly said something
that stuck with me. He was talking about his life and the mistakes he had
made. In the course of our conversation he said to me, "Young man, I
want you to remember this. There is always a reason for everything. It
may not be a good reason, but if you listen to people you will find there is
a reason."
What he was saying is that unless you know a person's heart, you will not
know their story. You can look at their outward condition and make a
judgment, but it will not be a fair one unless you know their story. The
good news for all of us is that God has something akin to x-ray vision. He
sees our heart and he knows our story. He sees the mistakes we have
made. He knows how hard we have tried and the number of times we
have set out to do the right thing. Yet he has not given up on us. He looks
at our hearts and he tells us that if we call on him, he will forgive us and
help us start over again.
God wants to give you and me a heart transplant. It's ours for the asking. I
pray you will join me and echo David's prayer and declare, "Create in me a
pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)
When you do, your sins will be forgiven and you will have a new lease on
life with all of God's blessings.
God bless. See you in church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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