Half-Hearted

          Aiden Rodgers was born with half a heart.  Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome happens in about 1 in every 6000 live births.  While in the womb and connected to the mother’s life support system, babies with this condition do pretty well.  The unborn child can have a normal heart rhythm and exhibit no symptoms, making the problem difficult to diagnose prior to birth.  But once born, problems begin to develop.  Forced to work on its own now, the underdeveloped heart can’t keep up with the critical needs of the growing infant’s body.  Without immediate medical attention at birth, the baby can go into cardiac arrest within days.  Since Aiden’s condition was diagnosed pre-birth, the doctors were prepared to address his problems without delay.  He underwent his first open heart surgery shortly after his birth on May 19, 2014, at just four days old.  The surgery itself is risky with a nearly 16 percent mortality rate but thankfully he survived.  Aiden experienced his second surgery on September 15 and was able to go home on October 3.  A third surgery will be necessary between the ages of two and three.  This little boy won’t be out of the woods even then because complications can arise.  But under the watchful eyes of his parents and medical professionals, things are looking up for this brave little boy (Source: “Baby Born With Rare Diagnosis: He Only Has Half His Heart”; Nicole Kwan, foxnews.com).
          Facing life with only half of a physical heart is very difficult. The same is true with half of a spiritual heart.  The difference is that we choose how much heart we have and use spiritually.  Half-heartedness in our relationship with God shouldn’t be tolerated. Jesus claimed that the greatest commandment of all was to “...love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, and with ALL your soul, and with ALL your mind” (Matthew 22:37).  Divided loyalties never work (Matthew 6:24).  God is unwilling to share the throne in the heart of his child (Exodus 20:3).  He desires your WHOLE heart, not just a fraction of it.

God loves you!
Mike