“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. He 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.
The Lord answered and said, “The boy,
my lamb, was not meant for earth for long, for he is a part of my heavenly
flock, and will forever be. Here in my heavenly 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 here 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 shall come
to heaven, for he has done his duty: I did not put him on earth to lose him, but
to retrieve a lost lamb, you.”
The surgeon wept. He 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.