The Greatest Heart Transplant

Weekday Posts
Written By Dean Collins

By Dean Collins

According to the Cleveland Clinic there are about 5,000 heart transplants per year worldwide. Two thousand of these transplants are performed in the US. Additionally, there are about 3,000 people on wait lists at any given time. A Vanderbilt researcher claims that 1 million Americans receive a heart stent each year. I don't know the worldwide number, but if it mirrors the heart transplant data, it would be several million. In simple terms, a stent props open a clogged artery and allows blood flow and thus prolongs life. These heart surgeries are amazing, and the beauty of them is that rather than opening an artery or getting a heart transplant, the patient’s life is extended and quality of life improves.

I have a good friend who had a heart transplant a few years ago. He was in his late 60s at the time, and he received the heart of a man in his mid 20s. I knew my friend very well and spent time with him before and after his heart transplant. In some ways my friend is the same person. His voice sounds the same, he looks the same, and he has the same issues with aging that everyone does in their 70s. One thing that is different: he is daily filled with gratitude for the gift of life he received when he received his new heart! 

But here is a sobering fact. Every person who gets a heart transplant or stent dies. There is a one hundred percent mortality rate. Ezekiel was a prophet God sent to the exiles during much suffering. The children of Israel were reaping the seed of disobedience for a season, but God sent words of hope. The prophet was given a vision of days to come when all injustice would be corrected. He spoke of a time when all would be reconciled and renewed. And the best news is that everyone is eligible for a heart transplant, and according to God's economy, everyone who ever wants one is guaranteed a transplant! No waiting list!! And it gets even better; God is offering unity for his followers. Not only do we get this marvelous transformation, but we live in a spiritual community where God is present and every need is met.

We have been given new hearts. Our job now is to share the good news so that others can join us and receive the greatest gift ever given! Join me in this prayer: 

Father, thank you for replacing my hard heart with a new and pliable heart. Continue to transform my mind and heart so that my attitudes and behaviors align with your will and reflect the love of Jesus in all I do. In Jesus’ name, amen.    

Your Time with God’s Word
Ezekiel 11:19-21; 36:25-27 ESV

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Dean Collins

Pastor, campus minister, counselor, corporate employee, Fortune 500 consultant, college president—Dean brings a wide range of experiences and perspectives to his daily walk with God’s Word. 

In 1979 he founded Auburn Christian Fellowship, a nondenominational campus ministry that still thrives today. In 1989 he founded and became executive director for New Directions Counseling Center, a service that grew to include several locations and counselors. In 1996 he became vice president of human resources for the CheckFree Corporation (3,000 employees) till founding DC Consulting in 1999. He continues part-time service with that company, offering executive leadership coaching, organizational effectiveness advice, and help with optimizing business relationships.

His latest pursuit, president of Point University since 2006 (interim president 2006-2009), has seen the college grow in enrollment, curriculum, physical campus, and athletic offerings. He led the school’s 2012 name change and relocation from Atlanta Christian College, East Point, Georgia, to Point University in West Point, Georgia. Meanwhile, he serves as board member or active volunteer with several nonprofits addressing issues ranging from global immunization to local government and education. 

He lives in Lanett, Alabama, with his wife, Penny. He has four children (two married) and five grandchildren. He plays the guitar, likes to cook, and enjoys getting outdoors, often on a nearby golf course. 

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