Exploding Hearts

My wife and I were playing a game of Exploding Kittens the other night but we stopped. The instructions were too complicated and confusing. Our desire to continue waned.

Simple is better, we decided, and each of us picked up a book to read. That's when I got the text. That's when my heart exploded.

Relationships are precious things. At least they are supposed to be. We all watched with great sadness as the story of Gabby Petito unfolded these past few weeks. What a sweet, young girl. What a tragedy. But what if the story had turned out differently? What if she had been found alive?

Now you can understand the title of this story a little better. Her families hearts would have exploded!

I retired several years ago but I still visit the office where I used to work. I love return there because that's where many of my very closest friends are.

On one of my visits a few years ago I stopped to see one of those close friends and was saddened to see their office dark and empty. When I asked about them I was told that my friend had resigned.

Well, that hurt. No phone call. No text. Nothing. I thought we were close. I sent messages but responses were few and far between. My heart was not as "full" as it once had been.

But then (there's two amazing words for ya!) I received a message from that person last week, asking if we could have lunch. I thought my heart was going to explode with joy!

Have you ever read Luke 15? The story that Jesus told about The Prodigal Son. What an image of an exploding heart! When the father and the son got back together! Oh, my!

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." - Luke 15:20

All of our relationships should be like that.

God loves it when we come to Him. Maybe it's been a while since we were with Him in prayer. Perhaps our hearts have grown cold and dark like my friend's office. It's not too late to change things. Reach out to a friend. Get down on your knees and talk to God.

While love is not a one way street, sometimes it just is. Maybe someone needs a "delivery truck" to pull up to their house and deliver some much needed love.

The world is a scary place to be living in right now. Many people have closed their doors AND their hearts. God has commanded us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. The instructions couldn't be more clear. Explode someone's heart today!

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34