During church services, we oft sang songs praising God, promising to worship Him with our hearts, turning our ears to listen to him, lifting our eyes to see Him, raising our hands to touch Him, opening our mouths to glorify Him, and so forth.
We have these songs in all kinds of services, the traditional type where songs are only sung from the hymnals, the P&P type where they flash the lyrics on the big screen.
So often do we sing them that we allowed the words to become jaded.
Thus it was, I was shamed many years back when I started being involved in ministry to "differently-abled" people.
It was an awkward feeling, bringing them into worshipping with the "normal" congregations, aiding them with the lyrics, while most of them are physically deaf. What would the words "listen with our ears" mean to them?
Even tougher, what would they make of pulpit speakers who quoted from the Bible and proclaim God's promises to "heal us of our infirmities", announcing God can do miracles to make the deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk ... and our charges from the Ministry depart from the services ... the same.
The ministry grew, we had special children, someone brought a blind man. The feeling that the worship leaders and pulpit speakers and the main congregation are out of touch grew stronger.
If only Jesus was here, I prayed many times, He'd know what to do, what to say.
He'd heal them, either physically, or at least give them inner healing.
So often I wanted to quit. Not just the Ministry, but the entire church for being so darn insensitive.
Thus it was that I learned some of the most beautiful hymns were written by disabled Christians.
Frances (Fanny) Jane Crosby (1820-1915) wrote "Blessed Assurance" among the thousands she had composed. She was blinded from 6 weeks of age.
And perhaps it was the voice of the LORD which spoke when I heard "What about yourself? Do you really mean it when you sang those words? Those people you worry about are in GOD's hands, you just concern yourself with what you're supposed to do - worship and witness."
Oh GOD, forgive me and never let me be jaded by the words of worship ever again.
My younger son has tourette syndrome since he was 12. The first attack was severe, we were shocked and devastated, didnt know what was going on. My bosses were nice and offered me kind words and support. I thanked them with an email that ended with something like "......now we learn to count our blessings instead..."
ReplyDeleteToday my son's condition has gone from bad to mild, with care and a proper diet.
It must have been quite upsetting, and at 12, quite unusual. I hope it'll get better with time.
ReplyDeleteTS is unusual, probably one in a thousand children. The onset of Tourette's syndrome begins between the ages of two and sixteen.. rarely above the age of 21. When TS first started, my son asked me why out of so many children, he has to be the chosen one? I could only tell him to look at the brighter side of things, and count our blessings. Whenever there are any news articles on some handicapped children whose conditions are far worse, I would take the opportunity to educate him. Today he handles his condition quite well, but sometimes they just make him a bit tired and cranky, ie hot temper and irritates easily. To make him feel better, me and my husband takes turn to give him a good back massage just before he goes to bed at night, and he really enjoys that. He is a bright boy, his school records are usually well above average, good in maths and reasoning.
ReplyDeleteI know a parent with a son with TS, same age with my son, and his school results always top the class.
:-) I hope too that he will get better, but according to the statistics (USA), only about 25% kids got better after 21 years of age. Doctors cant help much except to ask me read up the internet for detail info on TS and prescribed drugs. After the exams, I will make an appointment for my son to do a hair analysis and blood test for food allergies. There is no cure for TS but today I am still searching for answers to at least decrease the effects of it, by books purchased from USA and of course the internet. I am not giving up, no not yet.
:-)
What about National Service?
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, we never give up on our children.
ReplyDeleteMost people with TS are able to lead normal lives.
yep thats the exact and only one thing I am quite worried about, his NS. I read an article written by a young lad who has TS himself , an article about how he has been through NS, his father gave him a lot of support and encouragement. I guess it depends on his condition that time. If the condition improves with time, he should definitely serves the army, otherwise (cross my fingers), we will approach a certified neurologist for excuse or some light duties, I hope.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, many of the more conservative churches do not realise that without worship that stimulates heart, mind, soul and entire being to praise God, it is probably a dead church. How sad that they do not do more to revive old-world church worship. Sad.
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