This morning I’m reflecting on a past surgery. I’m not thinking about the operation where they pieced back together my femur . . . nor am I musing on the scar that tells me I am gall-bladder-less. Nope . . . instead, I’m thinking about the intricate procedure that was undertaken on my heart. Wasn’t performed by doctors in a hospital . . . no visible marks that would indicate “someone went in” . . . but a radical, life-changing procedure nevertheless . . .

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes and be careful to obey My rules.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV)

While I recognize the specific context is Ezekiel’s prophetic word to the house of Israel . . . God is “practicing” this “procedure” on people today . . . it’s a “procedure” I’ve been through myself . . . and to say it’s life changing would be such an understatement.

Only one person in the entire realm of all that which exists who can pull off such an operation — the Creator . . . the re-Creator . . . the Great Physician. According to His Sovereign purpose . . . His amazing grace . . . His unfathomable power . . . He determines to change out the hearts of those who come to Him, by faith, for life-saving, radical surgery.

The “prep” involves cleansing . . . the sprinkling of clean water on the patient. It is the water of the Word that convicts of sin and convinces of a need for a Savior. It is water which finds it’s power in the shed blood of Jesus which is able to cleanse us from all sin. It is water that, when it enters a man or a woman, creates an inner spring of living water that cleanses from the inside out.

The dirt of the past dealt with by cleansing water, the Great Physician then undertakes His specialty, which forever alters “the patient” for the future. They are given a new heart . . . and new spirit. Removed is the heart of stone . . . the heart hardened by sin . . . the heart deadened to feeling the touch of God . . . the heart incapable of pumping that which is true life, “and life to the full,” through the body. Dead hearts are replaced with living hearts . . . hearts alive to the things of God . . . hearts that beat the very rhythm of heaven . . . hearts that yearn and long for a home never seen . . . hearts that teem with a love that is literally out of this world . . . hearts that are suitable to host the very Spirit of the living God Himself!

Think about it! What an unbelievable process is salvation! So much more than sins forgiven — though, if that were the extent of my salvation, that would be more than I deserve and enough for which to praise God for eternity. But more than sins forgiven . . . more than getting cleaned up . . . it is a new nature implanted . . . a new set of DNA activated that connects with the things of a kingdom not of this world . . . a new set of ears to hear and a new set of eyes to see . . . all emanating from a heart of flesh . . . and the Spirit who takes up residence in that transplanted heart. Talk about radical surgery!

And what’s the reminder of this life saving operation? It’s not a scar . . . but it’s the fact that a thirst for His word and a desire to obey exists. Not that I am as faithful concerning the Word as I should be . . . or as obedient as I should be . . . but the very fact that, in some measure, I desire the things of God and the approval of God, reminds me that there’s a new ticker in this aging body.

Praise God for radical surgery . . . for a new heart . . . for His glory . . . amen?