When We are Blind, Deaf and Mute

He stands taller than his mother now; the blind, deaf, and mute boy who becomes a man when her eyes blink. She leads him to the chair with her arms and hands moving his.  Helps him to sit down slowly, struggling with the awkwardness of the movements of his extremities. Touch, the only method of communication he knows.

When he settles, she turns and smiles over at me, exhales. “Some days are easier than others,” she admits.

He cannot see her, when she sheds tears of exasperation or when she smiles love over him seated there. He cannot hear her say, “I love you,” or ask, “What would you like for dinner,” or beg, “Do you know what Christ did for you.”

He cannot tell her in words when he is hungry or thirsty or lonely or sad. He hasn’t seen the posture of prayer, heard a voice sing in worship or a sermon preached on salvation.

But Christ sees him.  He hears the pleading and joy of his heart, knows what he needs. 

We don’t choose Christ, he chooses us. ~John 15:16

And when I ask her how this raising a blind, deaf, mute son affects her faith in God she tells me, “He reveals the glory of God to me in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”

It was not because of his sins or his parent’s sins,” Jesus answered, “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. ~John 9:3

I arouse my boy from sleep and he moans, says something silly evokes laughter. And thirty minutes later while I sip my tea and answer emails, I realize he still lays under blanketed warm.  So I tell him stern, that he will be late for school if he doesn’t get up NOW.

I hear the screech of shower hooks on metal rod, rain of the shower, his sleepy thud onto ceramic bathtub and realize how much I take for granted.  

The way I see to gauge emotion in facial expression, to read inspired words. 

The sound of a sigh that alerts to sorrow, voices singing alleluia.

A conversation that inspires understanding. A shout warning danger.

Then I remember the deaf, mute and blind boy and realize how God transcends my dependencies.  The way He loves unconditional when I thought I had to do something to earn it. This brings tears to the eyes on most days.

Are there things you have taken for granted when it comes to faith and daily living?

 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
(Philippians 3:20-21 ESV)

 

During this season of Lent, I will be writing stories inspired by daily readings in the lectionary. If you would like to join along in this community, you may find the scripture verses here. And if you haven’t done so already, kindly add your email to the box under Follow Redemptions Beauty on the sidebar, to receive regular updates along the journey.