The Crippled Son
Monday morning was a particularly good morning. As I lay in bed praying, God seemed so very close, especially as Father. I kept saying to Him, "how extraordinary that you would consider me Your son" with an enormous sense of gratitude. I suppose I find myself encouraged when those kinds of thoughts come in that place somewhere between wakefulness and sleep because I know they are sincere - no masks, no external show, no choosing the "right" words - just child-like sincerity. Thus, I know it is a grace from God and not the old John Sullivan.
As I basked in this gratitude that God would be my Father, I began to pray that He would help me be a loving son, a good son. As I thought of the various tasks in front of me that day and consecrating them to Him, living all for Him and for love, I began to pray that He would help me be a diligent son, an efficient son to accomplish much and do His work. Then, the unexpected happened.
I suddenly saw myself differently. I saw myself severely handicapped both mentally and physically. I was God's completely crippled son, incapable of doing anything but loving Him and being loved by Him. I could not be diligent; I could not be efficient; I couldn't even sit up on my own. I could not do anything for Him . . . . and He loved me still - no more and no less. God did not care if I was muscled and able or crippled and "useless" by this world's distorted reckoning. God loved me just the same.
Then I began to think about my able bodied brother who would have to do twice as much work because I was unable to help him. To my delight, I looked at this brother whom I loved, one of you, and he looked upon me and I felt his love, too. It didn't matter that I was unable to lighten his load, that, perhaps, I made it even heavier. He loved me just the same for he was a child of the same Father in a tender, close, loving family. Yes, my brother who worked so hard because I could not, loved me anyway. Love does that.
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Reply #1 on : Sun September 14, 2008, 06:47:29