He Makes All Things New: Through the Roof and Into His Arms

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.

Nothing is too hard for you.”

-Jeremiah 32:17

John in his new, fancy, adaptive stroller that belonged to precious Reid Hargrave who has now been with Jesus for 2.5 months. Thank you Hargrave family for your devotion to John; your love for your sons inspires us!

There is never a dull moment having John as our son, a definite perk amidst the challenges! We tell John that he has opened our eyes, educated us, taken us to new cities and states, expanded our hearts, and pointed us to Jesus with his natural joy.

We are continually learning (struggling if we are honest!) to trust the Lord as John’s healer, sustainer, and the one who holds John’s future while we simply steward this precious gift in our care.

In our shortsighted moments, we run from one therapy/doctor/remedy/website to the next acting as if it is up to us to “fix” John. But in the moments when God enables us to see with His lens, we recognize John is no more broken than anyone else in this fallen world… in fact, I’d make a strong case we are much more broken than children like John! But that is for another post…

We all reflect the negative impact of choosing our own way rather than embracing God’s. But we also all possess the opportunity to reflect Christ’s redemptive reality as we participate in His restorative work.

I am drawn to the story in Luke 5:17-26 in which Jesus is speaking to a large crowd in someone’s home, and a paralytic is literally lowered through the roof by his friends. What a bizarre sight: this man is presented to Jesus in front of the chief teachers and religious men of the day on a mat most likely suspended by ropes as chunks from the roof the four men had to dig through probably fell all around. Where they even found these ropes and shovels, I do not know! The friends had planned to take their disabled friend through the front door but failed due to the massive crowd. Yet they did not give up!

Most importantly in this story, Jesus forgave the man’s sins. But to the shock and wonder of this man and his friends, Jesus healed him, his atrophied legs became strong, and he walked home praising God! I imagine he ran, skipped, and jumped! This account is clearly crucial to the Christ follower, because it is included in 3 out of the 4 Gospels. I believe Jesus longs for us to be like these friends as we participate in His redemptive work in the world. I pray to have this kind of courage and faith!

Soon we have the opportunity to travel with John for a 6-day therapy intensive that we are truly excited about. And let’s just say Jesus must be real if we can continue to have this kind of hope!! It is not of us but of Him… His reality is one of great hope. Where the impossible is possible. Where death is conquered. And shackles are destroyed.

This therapy focuses on the reflexes most of us are born with or that are expressed within the first year of life. In order to develop and grow, our reflexes must be both expressed and also integrated. For many kids like John, these reflexes are either never expressed in the first place or are expressed but not integrated. They are “stuck” and limit development no matter how hard a child may work. This is John’s story for sure! He has come so far but I truly believe much of what is holding him back are his reflexes.

Thank you for holding us up in prayer as we lower our son through the roof of disability — past our tendency to worry about tomorrow, despite the chains of our control — and into the arms of Jesus. He is the one who can move mountains and He holds the future in His hands. Amen!

“But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.”

-Malachi 4:2