Seventh Day Adventist

A Heart Transplant
Michael Brady was a professional Hollywood stuntman. He faced a stunt in which he would paraglide from the top of one moving train to another. While preparing for the challenge, he climbed a ladder on the side of the train to check something, but he accidentally fell and hit his head on a rock. Rushed to the hospital, he tragically died a few days later.
Michael was a registered organ donor, so his body was taken to University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona where his heart was transplanted into Bill Wohl, an older man who was in poor health.
Several months later, Wohl got a letter from Brady’s family. It included a picture of the 36-year old stuntman and some information about him. Bill Wohl was impressed with the picture, especially when he discovered that he had received the heart of an athlete.
Knowing he had such a strong heart, it motivated him to get fit. He started exercising and after a year, he ran a marathon. He even won some races in his favorite sports of swimming, cycling, and track.
When the stuntman’s family, including Brady’s parents and widow, asked if they could meet Mr. Wohl, he readily agreed. During the visit, the heart recipient struggled to find adequate words to express thanks to them for the gift of life he enjoyed at the expense of their loved one.
Before the family left, Brady’s dad hesitantly asked if he could listen to Wohl’s heartbeat. Happy to oblige, he opened his shirt. One can only imagine the depth of their feelings as mom, dad, and surviving wife each listened to the sound of their dear one’s heart through that stethoscope.
According to Scripture, we all need new hearts. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you,” God says. “I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36.26). Receiving such a gift from God will enable us to enjoy a whole new life.
Spiritual and emotional health are available when we receive this kind of heart transplant. Like
Mr. Wohl, we will be able to do more than we thought possible after we receive the gift. We can be champions for Jesus Christ; winners in love, kindness, obedience, and unselfishness.
God gave Jesus for our salvation. Today He puts His stethoscope to the hearts of all Christians, listening for the heartbeat of His Son.