"Tomorrow morning," the surgeon
began,
"I'll open up your heart..."
"You'll find
Jesus there," the boy interrupted.
The surgeon
looked up, annoyed. "I'll cut your heart open,"
he
continued, "to see how much damage has been done..."
"But when you open up my heart, you'll find
Jesus in there."
The surgeon looked to the
parents,
who sat quietly. "When I see how much
damage
has been done, I'll sew your
heart and chest back up and
I'll plan what to do next."
"But you'll find
Jesus in my heart.
The Bible says He lives there.
The
hymns all say He lives there.
You'll find Him in my
heart."
The surgeon had had enough.
"I'll tell
you what I'll find in your heart.
I'll find damaged
muscle,
low blood supply,
and weakened vessels.
And I'll
find out if I can make you well."
"You'll find
Jesus there too. He lives there."
The surgeon
left. The surgeon sat in his office,
recording his notes
from the surgery,
"...damaged aorta,
damaged pulmonary
vein,
widespread muscle degeneration.
No hope for
transplant,
no hope for cure.
Therapy: painkillers and bed rest.
Prognosis:," here he paused, "death within one
year."
He stopped the recorder,
but there was
more to be said.
"Why?" he asked aloud.
"Why did
You do this?
You've put him here;
You've put him in this
pain;
and You've cursed him to
an early death. Why?"
The Lord answered and said,
"The boy, My lamb,
was not
meant for your flock for long,
for he is a part
of My flock,
and will forever be. Here, in My flock,
he
will feel no pain, and will be
comforted as you cannot
imagine.
His parents will one day join him here,
and
they will know peace,
and My flock will continue to
grow."
The surgeon's tears were hot,
but his
anger was hotter.
"You created that boy,
and You created
that heart.
He'll be dead in months. Why?"
The
Lord answered, "The boy,
My lamb, shall return to My
flock,
for he has done his duty:
I did not put My lamb
with
your flock to lose him,
but to retrieve another
lost lamb."
The surgeon wept.
The
surgeon sat beside the boy's bed;
the boy's parents sat
across from him.
The boy awoke and whispered,
"Did you cut open my heart?"
"Yes," said the
surgeon.
"What did you find?" asked the boy.
"I found Jesus there," said the
surgeon.
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