'Heart Transplant' - weekly reflection 29th March 2026

 
1n 1967 Dr Christiaan Barnard (1922-2001) performed the first human heart transplant. Around 1968/69 my mum also underwent major heart surgery in having a faulty heart valve replaced with a mechanical one. You could hear it ‘clunking.’  This gave her a whole new lease of life.

I remember the first time I undertook any ‘serious' study of the Scriptures while I was living in London. The tutor impressed upon us, as we were exploring the Old Testament, the primacy of Ezekiel 36.26-27, ^“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Like most people I have been watching events unfold in Iran and Lebanon, whilst also very aware of other conflicts including the ongoing grinding war in Ukraine. There are 40 armed conflicts as of March 2^nd 2026.

Jane and I recently watched the documentary, ‘Mr Nobody against Putin'. It is a hard watch but one which everyone should watch. It documents the shift in one remote Russian town as the propaganda machine of Putin's regime places legislation that forces schools into teaching propaganda. The children in the school move from being typical children to be fully indoctrinated, with military songs and marches and ready and prepared to go and fight and die for Mother Russia.

On one occasion when Jesus was being challenged on religious observance he remarked,” … out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.”

The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart!

We need a heart transplant.

In Proverbs 6:16-19 we read, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to Him: / haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, / a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, ...”

However you call it, that is a describer for some of our world leaders currently, and their actions.

There have been a few posts appearing on social media recently calling for Britain to claim back it English Christian heritage.

The historian Tom Holland in his book ‘Dominion’ clearly demonstrated that Britain was built and developed on a Christian foundation. I could agree with the call to some degree if we were going to endeavour to be guided by the principles of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, however, I suspect that is not what is being advocated.

It is heartbreaking to consider all the billions of dollars spent on prosecuting the war in Iran and Lebanon. If it had been spent in aid programmes, even in America, it could have eradicated a huge number of their current problems, homeliness and unaffordable medical treatment for example.

^“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 

Ponder this as we enter Holy Week and follow Jesus to the cross on Good Friday.

Wood is good, it is useful both in its natural form as trees, but also as a means of making furniture, shelter or even a fire on which to cook and keep warm.

What it isn’t good for is to turn into a cross on which to hang humans beings so that they die slowly in excruciating agony.

Consider this, someone at some time imagined this use of wood. That thought became the deed and became a cross for crucifixion.

Where does your imagination take you as you go about your daily life?

Are you looking at things and thinking how they might bring flourishing and life and light into the world, into someone else’s life?

Have you had a heart transplant wrought by the Spirit of God?

How does that manifest itself as you go about your daily life.

^“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5.22-23.

Jesus said, “The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life—indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest.” John 10.10.

That lies at the heart of the matter. Is what our leaders and politicians are doing bringing life and flourishing, does it demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit? Or are their actions those of a thief who come only to kill and destroy?

And always remembering that we  might not be called as politicians or world leaders of nations, yet we do have our own sphere of influence. We also need to check our own hearts and if we are bearing witness to the fruit of the Spirit in our own lives.

Psalm 24.3-5

‘Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? Those who have clean hands and a pure heart, those who do not lift up their soul to an idol or swear deceitfully. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from the God of his salvation.…

Jesus said, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matthew 6.21

This is a song from a bunch of folk who have experienced a heart transplant and are living abundantly and free.

https://youtu.be/hQahQg8ymyQ?si=nmM92xuM3UGmMluP

Why wouldn’t you want this for yourself and everybody, including the current USA Administration, and the Russian regime and indeed the Iranian regime.

Now that’s a big bold call to bring before our Heavenly Father in prayer. Maybe something to bring before God next Saturday, Holy Saturday, (not Easter Saturday!) as we spend sometime in reflecting on the devastating darkness and dispair of those first disciples, and as we look out into our world facing  darkness and dispair.