“If only I had a heart” said the Tin Man to the Wizard of Oz. “As for you my galvanized friend, you want a heart do you? You don’t know how lucky you are not to have one. Hearts will never be practical until they can be made unbreakable.”
I am sure everyone has endured the painful experience of having their hearts broken, sometimes many times. It can be especially painful from cruel betrayals by co-workers, family and friends.
We live in a fallen world and there is always a risk in reaching out and loving others. But it is a risk worth taking. Christ took that risk even as He was rejected by many people. Yet He still went on the cross for them. That hymn says it well- “I am loved, I am loved, I can risk loving you.” For the one who knows me best (God) loves me most. (God) Some people might persist in saying I won’t take that chance again as it is just too painful. This is what I will do. I will spin a cocoon of my own making. I will build thick layers, walls of protection so that no more painful arrows will ever get through again. I will numb out any further pain. I will not open up to anyone again. I will pull up the drawbridge, draw the curtain and live like a spiritual hermit. I will live in a cave of my own making. There…is it problem solved, end of story? Is it???
Christian author C.S. Lewis wrote “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully with hobbies and little luxuries, avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless and airless it will change. It will not be broken, it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.”
To me that is worse than death, the death of your heart. It will become a heart of stone. But there is good news…because of Christ’s work on that old rugged cross. In the midst of all that suffering, Jesus experienced the greatest broken heart of all time for so many people. I believe that factor alone accelerated His own death. Greater news still…Jesus not only died for you, He was also raised for you. Since He asks only one thing from you and that is- “If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”(Romans 10 vs 9) That’s your part.
What is God’s part? It is His unbreakable promise found in Ezekiel 36 vs 26. “I will give you a NEW HEART and put a new Spirit in you; I will remove from you your HEART OF STONE, AND GIVE YOU a HEART OF FLESH.”
Do it now and do not put it off. For God loves you with all of His heart and He invites you to love Him with all of your HEART.
Pastor Gary Tomiuck
Wainfleet Congregational Christian Church
