Heartbeat

Who remembers the sermon at PFB on Palm Sunday 2003?  Erik participated in the speaking that day, as each of the pastoral staff took a turn sharing a part of the Easter story.  At the end of his message, he showed a video – a video announcing that we would be welcoming Baby Waage in October of that year.  The video showed the first ultrasound photo of our precious Claire, and our PFB family heard the beautiful, strong heartbeat that was confirmation of God’s miraculous work in our family.

I will never forget hearing that heartbeat for the first time. Joy, excitement, wonder, relief…so many emotions flooded my senses. Those beautiful whooshing sounds gave me hope that my dream of motherhood would finally be fulfilled.

2000 years ago, into a world desperate for hope, came the most precious baby whose heartbeat meant not just the physical life of a great teacher, but everlasting life for those who proclaim Him as LORD.

Isaiah 42:1-4 foretells this great hope: 

Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.

He is my chosen one, who pleases me.

I have put my Spirit upon him.

He will bring justice to the nations.

He will not shout

or raise his voice in public.

He will not crush the weakest reed

or put out a flickering candle.

He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.

He will not falter or lose heart

until justice prevails throughout the earth.

And his name will be the hope of all the world.

1 Peter 1:3 speaks of the hope that we have as believers: 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

Titus 2:13 talks about our hope for the future:

…while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…

Hope. We rejoice in its blessed promise for our lives both now and for eternity.  And we live in a world that is still desperate to hear that special heartbeat that can offer hope for the future.  What a gift we have to offer our neighbors, our friends, our families.  May we earnestly seek God’s leading to share His heartbeat – the promise of salvation – with a hurting world.