Growing up we had a lot of paintings at our house. My parents love art. Yearly, we would take the ones that were faded or damaged by the sun to our cousin’s gallery to restore them to the same beautiful colors and shades. The same is true with healing. God and I have been talking a lot about that lately and we have had some sweet talks. That this whole life business is about healing and restoring us to what we were created to be, more like Him. And somehow we have managed to make it everything else but that.
Yet we wonder why this kind of life is our reality. A reality in which we have found everything else but our true selves. Our true selves free from labels, free from parameters of do and don’ts. And to get there would require open-heart surgery. It would require thorough examination and observation and complete trust and confidence in the hands of your surgeon. I observed my first open heart surgery in my uncles operating room when I was fourteen I believe. I saw the heart beating in his hands and I was fascinated. He had someone’s heart in his very own hands. And at that very moment he had the power to restore what was damaged. And it reminded me of the Great Physician. That God can perform that miracle with all of us if we only let Him. He doesn’t want us to hide behind facades. He doesn’t want us to hide behind church, popularity, long hours at work and busy schedules, car pools etc. He wants us to trust Him that much with what we deem so precious.
I used to be there. For the longest time I could not find myself in pictures. I mean practically I was there, well my image was there. But I just could not see myself in my pictures. The “Me” I knew wasn’t there. But about a month ago a friend handed me a picture of myself taken the night before and there I was people. Finally, I made it. And it was the sweetest victory! A much awaited reunion with myself if you will. I know I am weird, so bare with me. I thought of all that it took to get to this very moment. The high cost of labels and being prey to other’s opinions. I say if people want to call you crazy, please do yourself a favor and declare yourself insane for Jesus. That would put an end to it. There is a high cost to total discipline and surrender to God. I am telling you He will tell you to do some things that your rational mind cannot comprehend.
But I promise you He will honor that obedience with a whole heart. A heart that is free from any contingency, any boundary, and any limitation. A heart that is free to love no strings attached. A heart that fully knows the peace that surpasses all understanding. A heart that can finally be safe to cry. A heart that relentlessly seeks his face before His hand. A heart that is free from a popularity contest. A heart that is emotionally bankrupt yet bursting with love. A heart that rushes to forgive. A heart free from wounds yet filled with beautiful scares. He longs to give you a healed heart. And you don’t have to wait for a donor. He has already offered!
Let’s be brave enough to share our hearts rather than our opinions. Let’s embrace and encourage that rather than look at it as extra terrestrial activity on earth. Sharing our hearts is what is going to set us free from ourselves. It will be the only thing that will bring about change in cultures, people, societies, countries, and the world. And it starts with us, with you and me. It is that simple. Remember this was heart, not brain surgery. Christ dwells in our hearts. He specializes in heart transplants! I pray that we would keep searching till we find our true selves in the picture.
Love you all deeply!
