A Different Heart

"Teo, let's talk," his father said.

When his father said that, Teo knew he had important news.

"Your Lola Ruth will have a heart transplant tomorrow."

"Oh, no!" Teo cried, becoming deeply scared.

"Don't worry, anak, heart transplants are very safe these days. Lola Ruth will be OK with her new heart!"

"But she should not have a new heart!" Teo protested loudly.

"Teo, that's being disrespectful!"

"I don't want Lola to have a new heart!" Teo insisted. "Her old heart had Jesus in it! She said that the only way to go heaven is to have Jesus in your heart, what if her new heart doesn't have Jesus in it?!"

Teo's father tried not to laugh. "New heart or old heart… your Lola Ruth will go to heaven. She loves Jesus. Look, when I say you have a place in my heart, I don't mean that you are actually inside the organ beating in my chest."

"Oh."

"I simply mean that you are part of my life and that I love you. So when we ask Jesus to come into our hearts, we mean-"

"We love Jesus, too!" Teo declared.

"Right! Now, let's pray for Lola Ruth's safe surgery," his father said.

"Opo." Teo replied.

* * *

Prayer:

God, please bless those who are going through surgery right now. May they feel Your presence. Amen.

Memory verse:

"Children, obey your parents to the Lord, for this is right." Ephesians 6:1