Posted in Scripture, tagged Caryn Turner, Defining Moments, Fighter Verse on September 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »
You already know how much I appreciate Caryn Turner’s blog, and she again has provided a personal, helpful reminder of who God is. It is also in the spirit of yesterday’s blog about Fighter Verses on this site.
So, enjoy Caryn’s Fearfully and Wonderfully Made post for its God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-believing truths. Our God really is that good.
Posted in Scripture, tagged Children Desiring God on September 9, 2009| 2 Comments »
Isn’t that a great title! I wish I had thought of it.
Tyler Kinney, a friend and colleague at Desiring God, writes and posts the weekly verse at FighterVerses.com.
As he was posting this week’s verses, Psalm 139:13-14, he remembered that I had made a connection between Psalm 139:13-14, Exodus 4:11 and John 9:2-3. So, he brought it together under that great title above, Fearfully and Wonderfully Disabled. And then he linked it all to my talk on disability and the Bible at the Children Desiring God conference earlier this year.
I’m going to use that title for something. After I ask him, of course.
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged philippians 4, school on September 8, 2009| Leave a Comment »
For all of us with school-aged children, the day after Labor Day is when it all begins again. An army of people, all listed on my son’s IEP with their official titles and the number of minutes each week he will work with them, will attempt to help him develop skills as much as he is able.
But his favorite part of the day is the enormous bus that will pull up directly in front of the house to transport him to his school, and then back again. He loves the bus. So it’s pretty easy to get him going in the morning – a reminder that the bus is coming is usually enough to have him pop up from his bed.
He’s been getting on that bus since he was three years old. And every year I worry about the bus driver and the bus aides. I won’t let him on the bus with a sole adult, even with credentials and a clean track record – my son is just too vulnerable.
So, every year I am confronted with my responsibilities to him as his dad, and the command to not be anxious:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7
I must do both: carry out my fatherly responsibilities of protection; and not be anxious about anything. This is not a balancing act.
So, in a couple of hours, I’ll put him back on that bus. And pray like crazy.
Posted in Prayer Requests, tagged proverbs 17 on September 7, 2009| Leave a Comment »
We had the privilege of caring for some precious children on Friday and Saturday while their parents took care of their baby brother, who ended up in the hospital.
I didn’t ask if their situation could be made public, so please just pray for one of God’s precious babies with a significant disability who is having a hard time.
And their hard time brought back a lot of memories, but also two highlighted significant benefits we have experienced:
In other words, we gave nothing that we had not already received in much greater measure.
We are grateful for these reminders, and also to see how our own children reacted in such helpful and positive ways to the younger children in our care for a few hours. It was a great blessing, and an indicator of how much we have benefited from people who have lived up to Proverbs 17:17 for us:
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
Posted in Scripture, tagged commentary, leviticus 21 on September 6, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Graduate Theological Education and the Human Experience of Disability represents scripture poorly. It is one of the most disappointing books on theology and the Bible I have yet to read.
But there is one example of quoting scripture that is particularly problematic. On page 9, in an article written by the late Harold Wilke, he has begun a discussion of the passage in Leviticus 21 which outlines 12 diseases or disabling conditions that would prevent one of Aaron’s descendants from becoming the high priest.
It is a difficult passage. But when rightly understood as pointing to the perfect High Priest, Jesus, the difficulty melts away in the extraordinary goodness and beauty of God. I may write on this as I did 2 Kings 5 at some point in the future.
Unfortunately, in a pivotal sentence in Leviticus 21:22, the proofreader completely blew it! Here is what is in the book, quoting from the Goodspeed and Smith Translation:
He may at his God’s food, some of the most sacred as well as the sacred. . .
It should read:
He may eat his God’s food, some of the most sacred as well as the sacred. . .
In other words, God himself is guaranteeing that those descendants of Aaron who have disabling conditions may eat of God’s food, even the most sacred. Several thousand years before the ADA was passed, God is making a legal statement about his creation with disabilities and specifically protecting their economic interests. But you won’t see that in Wilke’s article because the proofreader missed an awkward sentence and didn’t double-check the scriptures for accuracy.
In God’s providence, I wonder if God wants that awkward sentence to be placed in Wilke’s article in that book. Might at least some scholars (this is a book for graduate students) read the awkward sentence above and realize a mistake was made? And in looking up the actual wording, become exposed to the power and wonder of a sovereign God?
I pray that is the case. But overall, I hope nobody is reading that book.
Posted in Unhelpful things, tagged john 4, pastor john, poetry on September 5, 2009| Leave a Comment »
A few years ago there was a poem about parenting a child with disabilities floating around on the web. I think even Dear Abby included it in her column. Many parents raved about it, and it was forwarded and repackaged all over the place on disability web sites and discussion boards.
Dianne and I both thought it was dumb. Believe me when I say how happy I was that my wife and I agreed about that one!
So, we were left in an awkward place – what do you say when parents of other disabled kids are the ones forwarding it to you? And how do you respond to this ‘wonderful’ poem when people without disabled children also forwarded it to us?
Unlike what was happening to me at church with people persistently quoting John 9, this was merely irritating. I would smile and nod and change the subject. Or not reply to the email. It just didn’t do anything for me.
But even here, God was displaying his mercy. Our Paul was uniquely made, and so were we. Some people found that poem helpful, even life changing. We did not, but we could respect that others did. The people who knew us and loved us specifically usually did not send us things like this. The ones who did not know us sent it with the intention to be helpful.
Most of all, it pointed to how Jesus knows us absolutely. Pastor John helpfully explained that knowledge in his recent sermon, Healed for the Sake of Holiness from John 5:
When you know Jesus, this is the kind of person you know. A person who knows you perfectly—knows everything about you, inside and out, and all you have ever felt or thought or done. “You discern my thoughts from afar. . . . Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether” (Psalms 139:2-4). The more you know about Jesus, the more precious this truth becomes.
This same Jesus used a poem by Martha Snell Nicholson to bring great comfort to my wife. I found that poem beautiful as well, but not transforming like she did. Jesus used my anger at people quoting John 9 to reveal much more about himself than I would have otherwise. He really does know what’s going to work and what isn’t, and when, and under what circumstances – because he is sovereign over all things.
Still, if you come across a ‘great’ poem or story or situation, pause just for a moment before sending it on. Will this story help them treasure Jesus more? Will this poem reveal the goodness of God in all circumstances? Will it help put into real perspective what they are dealing with?
If you’re not sure, I would err on the side of action and send it – the Holy Spirit has used all kinds of things to reveal who God is to us! But if your second thought is, “this really isn’t all that useful,” you’ll know what not to do in this case. Or maybe God will reveal something even more helpful and useful for you to share, honoring your desire to help a family in need even before you ask for it.
Posted in Helpful things, tagged ecclesiastes 3, Helpful things, poetry, Sermons on September 4, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Dianne’s post yesterday on Pastor John’s reading of a poem highlighted several things that are helpful for parents of children with disabilities:
We should not be surprised that God would provide such good gifts. The writer of Ecclesiastes embeds this powerful and wonderful statement about God, beauty, creation, and sovereignty as he teaches:
(God) has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14
Posted in Helpful things, tagged Helpful things, pastor john, poetry on September 3, 2009| 1 Comment »
Guest Post from Dianne Knight:
Pastor John read this poem during a sermon. When I first heard it I cried because it made me think of how God is really in control of everything and how he loves us personally and acts in our lives specifically and for specific reasons. Also, because of this poem I learned a bit about Martha Snell Nicholson, the author, and her life story is very inspiring too.
The Thorn
(a “mendicant” is a beggar)
I stood a mendicant of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, “But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me.”
He said, “My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee.”
I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.
–Martha Snell Nicholson
(Note: This poem was read during Pastor John’s 2001 Sermon, “To Be a Mother is a Call to Suffer.“)
Posted in Helpful things, tagged 1 peter 4, children, disability aid, Helpful things on September 2, 2009| Leave a Comment »
One of the children I referenced yesterday has grown up, completed college, successfully started her chosen career, and serves us by being a regular Disability Aid for Paul at church. This allows Dianne and I to go to worship together. This young woman has done so for at least seven years, and possibly longer because I’ve lost track.
She practices extreme patience with us. There have been countless times over those years when something came up at the last minute – generally a child not feeling well – and we didn’t (or neglected to) call or email her.
She has never once complained about our behavior, even though we know it has inconvenienced her more than once. And she loves our boy, who also never objects to going to church when she is with him. It is very sweet to see them together.
Like her parents, she treasures Jesus above everything, and she wants us to do so as well. So, she puts up with us. And God has used her to build up our faith, our endurance, and our trust in him. I am grateful to God for her!
Most of all, she lives out 1 Peter 4:8-9 for the Knight family:
Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.
The Works of God 
When ‘Composite’ Means Deception
Posted in Book Commentary, tagged abortion, arguments, pre-natal screening on September 11, 2009| Leave a Comment »
In “Arguing about Genetics and Disability,” Tom Shakespear asserts he is showing two sides of an argument, and that his own views are a “composite of both characters’ positions.” He is either deceiving himself, or trying to deceive us, because there is no real argument presented. (more…)
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