Good morning…

Performing a routine check on our home’s heating units before winter, the technician found cracked heat exchangers in two of our systems. He took pictures of the cracks. He said, “Unless you replace these two parts, dangerous carbon monoxide may be released in the air when you turn on your heaters.” After calling my husband to discuss the situation, God’s Spirit stirred in me an interesting insight.

These heaters are like you and me. When people were first designed by God, we were hardwired to run efficiently, to live in harmony with God, to spread warmth and lovingkindness as caretakers of creation. Then a crack occurred in the human heart as Adam and Eve tried to play God rather than obey God.

The cracks in these two hearts changed everything for humanity, spewing danger into the air, shame and blame, hiding and covering up. The worst repercussion of our brokenness was a clear separation from our eden-like state. Designed for peace and intimacy, we lost our conversational relationship with our Creator, no longer walking and talking with our Daddy in the lush, green garden.

What do we do with a cracked heat exchanger? We get rid of the old one. We put in a new one. What does the LORD do with our cracked heart? The God of the universe also does an exchange.

I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed. I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands… You’ll be my people! I’ll be your God! (Ezekiel 36:26-28, MSG). With a brand new heart, we are invited back into intimacy with our first Father.

The question still remains, who will pay the bill? Replacing our heat exchangers will be expensive. Exchanging a stubborn, stony heart with a tender, responsive one also carries a high cost.

…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [paying the price to set them free from the penalty of sin]” (Matthew 20:29, AMP).

Now Jesus echoes God’s original invitation, “Please enjoy the ease of walking and talking with me each day.”

…Sue…