23 Dec, 2008
Doctors complete first US face transplant
US surgeons have replaced 80 percent of a woman's face in what is considered the world's first nearly complete facial transplant, the Cleveland Clinic has announced.
It was the first such operation in the United States and the fourth known facial transplant to have been successfully performed to date. The procedure took place in recent weeks on a patient disfigured by a traumatic injury.
Facial transplants are controversial because they carry heavy risks and are performed to improve a patient's quality of life rather than as a life-saving operation.
(To see the full story go to news.yahoo.com 12/17/08)
A brand new look
What does God's Story scripture teach us about the most important transplant ever?
Today's story is amazing! Whether you agree with this controversial procedure or not, it is simply astounding that it is even possible. A brand new face in less than one day!
Still, it is not nearly as important as the heart transplant that God wants to perform on each one of us. Today's scripture talks above the removal of our hearts of stone...with the replacement being a heart of flesh. So what does that even mean!?!
The "flesh" that God is referring to is a soft and teachable heart...as opposed to the "stone" of a stubborn and prideful heart. This new heart is open to what God would have. It places us in a position of humility that allows God to radically change us from the inside out!
This woman who recently received a new face wanted to do so to "improve the quality of life". I hope that she finds that to be the case. But if any of us truly want to improve the quality of life, our hearts must be made new...so that He can put a new Spirit in us and save us from all of our uncleanness.
Connecting Today's story and God's story to my story
The truth is, many of us live out our faith attempting to make the outside look like a Christian should look. Throughout scripture, however, God teaches us something very different...to Him, it's all a heart issue.
Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
I Samuel 16:7 Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.
Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified...
You know all of those thoughts, words and actions that you have been working so hard to change so that you can look like God wants you to look? Well, you aren't going to change them...sorry to break the news.
But HE can as you allow HIS SPIRIT to do the work. It doesn't even take a 22 hour surgery with 8 different surgeons...just one simple prayer of humility is all it takes for that heart transplant that may be needed!
Connecting today's story, God's story and my story with their story
Some of us have friends who do some not-so-Christian things. Maybe they swear, use drugs, look at pornography...the list of tools the enemy uses is quite long.
As we pray for those around us to be connected to the God who loves them...may we not focus on helping them change the messy stuff on the outside first (a mere face transplant)...but may we ask God to work in their hearts because once He replaces the stone with flesh...He will be able to save them from all of their uncleanness.
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