I’m having a major heart procedure, a pvc ablation, two weeks from now.* It’s a search-and-destroy mission to locate cells that are producing extra heartbeats (tachycardia). In fact, I have more heartbeats than anyone else my cardiologist has ever encountered. Which makes for a charming metaphor, but a risky heart condition. The procedure should help correct that, and the odds of my surviving are excellent.
But there is a slight chance I’ll die on the operating table.
Then again, I might die while I’m typing this. Or I might live another decade or two. Nevertheless, I am dying. And so are you. And that’s why I’m building my house on a rock. “Everyone who hears these words of mine and acts upon them,” said Jesus, “is like a wise man who built his house upon a rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the wind blew and beat against that house. But it stands because it is founded upon rock.”
So what is this “house” he’s speaking of?
It’s the thing I call me, who I am and who I’m becoming. People tend to build their lives out of haphazard materials: wants, likes, hobbies, things they stumble upon, things that fill their time and then pass away. But when no time is left, these mortal things (money, career, sex, fame, pride, etc.) disintegrate. If we hold them in proper perspective as “just things,” fine. But if we allow them to become the foundation of our lives, who we are, our “house” will crumble. Why? Because it’s founded upon the shifting fragments of reality, rather than upon Reality itself.
In other words, if your god is mortal, it will die with you. But if your God is immortal, you will live forever with him. Just to clarify, it’s not the “forever” part that matters to me, it’s the “with him” part. Because being with my Creator isn’t just the best thing about building my house on a rock…
*Note: After I wrote this, the procedure was rescheduled for late July.
Praying for you this evening.
Thank you so much, Marty. Update: My ablation procedure has been postponed until late July.
I will continue to pray.
Thank you, my friend.
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Be well Dear
Thank you, Xen.
Mitch
Just to encourage you; the oblation should result in a significant reduction in your heartbeats. I presume that as we are nearly at the end of July that you have had the ablation. I have a number of friends who have had ablations for similar conditions; they all speak of how successful the procedure has been for them.
I have a heart condition called WPW, that could have required an ablation, but is instead controlled by medication.
We are fortunate to live at in time when these issues can be detected and appropriate treatments offered. There is a line in a Leonard Cohen song that goes: I’m living on pills, for which I thank God!
Regards in Christ
Brian
Thank you for the encouragement, Brian. Yes, I had the treatment two days ago. So far so good. And I agree with you (and Leonard)!
That’s good news! Blessings!
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How did the major heart procedure go. Saying a prayer for you now.
Good initial report. Should have a clearer picture in a month or so. Thank you!
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