The Master Surgeon

I was in institute about a week ago and I heard the most beautiful analogy that hit me like a ton of bricks. I haven't been able to get it off my mind, so I am taking it as a sign that I need to share it. 

We have all heard the comparison of Jesus Christ being the Master Carpenter of our lives; in this analogy, He is the Master Surgeon of our hearts.

Imagine this:

You are a patient with a heart condition, laying on the table about to undergo open heart surgery. 

Just before the anesthesiologist puts you under, you look up and recognize your surgeon from somewhere, but are not sure how you know him; he smiles and winks at you, then they put you under, and the surgery begins.

In an open heart surgery, a few things happen before the surgeon can actually get his hands on your heart. First they have to open the skin using a scalpel- they cut through skin and muscle until they can pull the layers back to reveal your rib cage. At this point they bring in an electric saw, cutting your ribs apart until it is possible to fold those back as well to reveal the lungs, heart, and other vital organs. 

So there you are, laying face-up on the operating table, heart fully exposed and your life is literally in the hands of the surgeon. Although the surgery is not yet over, the anesthesia wears off and you wake up. Immediately you are overcome with the most intense pain that you have ever experienced. You cry out to the surgeon, "Please, please stop cutting. I am in so much pain already, why do you insist on continuing when you know that I am fully alert and feeling every touch of the blade?"

At this point this most trusted surgeon looks you in the eye, scalpel in hand, and says, 

"My child, you don't understand. If I stop cutting, the procedure will have been in vain. Your heart will not grow stronger or get any better. I know that you are in pain, but you can take confidence that I have performed this procedure thousands of times. Please trust me when I say that it will only last for a short amount of time and that you will come out of this surgery a better, stronger person than you were before. Please, please trust me."

The surgeon that so delicately held and continued to cut your heart despite the pain that He was inflicting, is none other than the Savior, Jesus Christ. 

He understands our pain. 

He understands it perfectly. 

In all reality, He is the only one that understands our pain. You see, He experienced it. He literally took our pains upon himself. He is the only one qualified to change our hearts and change our lives. 

He is the Savior of the world. 

He is YOUR Savior,

He loves you. 

He loves you more than anything. He literally exchanged His life for the possibility that you would choose to follow Him. He took a gamble on you. Even if you do not remain faithful to Him, He is always there, hands outstretched, ready to envelop you in a loving embrace, beckoning to you,

"Come follow me."

Our hearts are in His hands. Though it may hurt at times; though we may beg and plead with Him to stop cutting, He loves us enough to continue the surgery. You are never too far gone to turn to Him. He is willing to go to the depths of Hell itself to rescue each one of us individually. His love is THAT real, and THAT strong. 

Just listen when the Master Surgeon says,

"I know that you are in pain, but you can take confidence that I have performed this procedure thousands of times. Please trust me when I say that it will only last for a short amount of time and that you will come out of this surgery a better, stronger person than you were before."

(All images were found by searching "Reflections of Christ by Mark Mabry." There is also a short YouTube video with these and several other images depicting the life of Jesus Christ that is available by searching the same title.)