The Works of God

The news is not hopeful for that little boy who is severely disabled in the UK that I introduced you to yesterday.  Another doctor has determined that an operation would not be helpful in addressing all that is associated with his congenital myasthenic syndrome. There are now dozens of articles on google news if you would like to follow it.

There is so much at stake here, and so little is being directed at anything other than the ‘quality of life’ of that little boy.  Even the father has made that part of his argument, that the little boy will have some quality of life which gives that boy’s life purpose. I don’t think that will be enough; it isn’t a sufficient argument to make.

Some of the comments following the news articles about the mother and the father are horrifying.  I’m grateful for that boy’s father in how he is battling to save his son, but there is room for sympathy for the mother as well.

Even the most normal of babies will go through stretches – colic, fevers, sleepless nights – that deeply discourage parents.  The little boy in this case has been in the hospital since he was born 13 months ago.  For all of his life he has been hooked up to machines to help him breathe, to keep him alive.  Hospitals are horrible places for parents in these situations to keep perspective, to maintain healthy marriages, and to make good decisions under the intensity of the weight of all that is involved with doctors and insurance and just trying to consider the best interests of the child.

If those parents have been going it alone, it is no surprise they have separated and that they see the world differently for their son.  That doesn’t excuse or explain away anything, but it hopefully puts it into perspective.  That family needs a huge support system, the kind the church was created to provide:

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Romans 12:10-13

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13

For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. Romans 1:11-12

And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15

My family and I are the grateful recipients of such care from our church, as is reflected often in the ‘helpful things‘ series.  Let us pray for that boy and his parents and for the court system in the UK – and for the church to make much of God in how they treat that family.

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Continuing yesterday’s discussion of Dr. Paul Simmons’ use of scripture to justify his view that abortion is an acceptable moral choice, today we’ll look at how he deals with an important passage regarding God’s sovereignty over disability, Exodus 4:10-11:

But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”Then the Lord said to him (Moses), “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?

Here are Dr. Simmons own words on that passage, from his article, Personhood, the Bible and the Abortion Debate:

Using God’s statement to Moses to explain genetic deformity betrays careless exegesis leading to faulty conclusions. The context was Moses’ reluctance to become God’s spokesman because he feared he would not be persuasive. “Dumb,” “deaf,” and “blind” are metaphors for the ability to speak and understand God’s truth. This passage has nothing whatever to do with genetic handicaps.

Dr. Simmons is correct that Moses was reluctant.  But he is not correct that God is merely using a rhetorical device to make a point. (more…)

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I know this has not been a pleasant series of blogs.  But our children with disabilities are being slaughtered in frightening numbers through abortion and it must be addressed.  Women and men who otherwise would never consider abortion as an option in their pregnancies suddenly are unsure when disability has entered the question.

None of us who have children with disabilities will ever say it is easy – in fact, the burdens sometimes seem to multiply over time.  But our God, who is sovereign over all his creation in every moment of every day has promised, through the obedience, the death, and the resurrection of his own son Jesus Christ, to provide for all our needs.  All of them.  For his glory and for our good.

So theologians and pastors who preach a contrary message, who encourage the devastating sin of abortion in our land, must be called out.  What you are reading is largely a conversation I am having with myself, so that I can be prepared to address horrible arguments in support of abortion.  We have wolves among us. (more…)

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