"Tell Your Heart to Beat Again"

My sweet friend Robin shared a story with me. Robin is in the middle of Power Aid. We swap stories of encouragement as fellow warriors against The Nuisance. (Keep her in your prayers!!) This particular story was about a pastor who was allowed to be present during an open heart surgery. He watched the surgeon saw open the patient's chest, lift out the heart, and perform the necessary procedure. (All too familiar to me!) Upon completion, the surgeon placed the heart back in the patient's chest and began to massage it to prompt it to beat again. Something wasn't working. The heart did not beat. The pastor realized that he might witness the loss of a life. The surgeon tried again. No response. The team tried more extreme measures, but still there was nothing.  After more tries, the surgeon tried a different approach. He removed his mask, knelt down by the patient's ear and whispered, "Mrs. Johnson, this is your surgeon. The procedure went perfectly. Your heart has been repaired. Now tell your heart to beat again." And it did.

That story prompted Phillips, Craig and Dean to record the song, "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again." The chorus says, "Tell your heart to beat again. Close your eyes and breathe it in. Let the shadows fall away, you'll live to love another day. Yesterday's a closing door and you don't live there anymore. So say goodbye to where you've been and tell your heart to beat again."

It is as the lyrics were written just for me. I know what it feels to be that patient, both literally and figuratively. I daily have to tell my heart to beat again. Even though I am healed of The Nuisance, every twinge or pain brings back fear. Sometimes I find myself holding my breath; the panic threatening to stop my heart. But there is a choice. I can hold my breath on the proverbial operating table, forever dead in fear, or I can tell my heart to beat again. God is the Great Physician. He has performed the miraculous healing. He has removed the mask that separates us and leans down to whisper, "Anna, the healing has taken place. Your heart has been repaired. Now tell your heart to beat again." What a blessing that like the lyrics say, yesterday's a closing door and I don't live there anymore. It is done. Thank God!! Breathe in.

I bet your heart has stopped before; maybe it isn't beating now. Divorce, fear, a prodigal child, loneliness, abuse, illness, death of a loved one; something has left you holding your breath. It has left your heart deathly still. It is time to tell your heart to beat again. You will live to love another day, but you have to breathe. The gift is there. The procedure is complete, but now you have to do your part and tell your heart to beat. God can heal all that breaks our hearts. He willingly does so, but the gift is only complete if we draw a breath.

I know Christmas season isn't full of joy for everyone. You may be among those that are wondering how you will make it through the next few days. Tell you heart to beat again. There is healing. There is hope. The Great Physician has performed the procedure. Now it is up to you. Tell your heart to beat again. You will live to love another day!


Watch the video to "Tell Your Heart to Beat Again" here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfgu6tW8Lg8

Click here to hear Randy Phillips tell the story behind the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdPp7ofeBMA