Accident

“‘…And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world.’” (John 17:11a).

Christ Healing the Leper (Rembrandt)

I have been reflecting on my life’s work.

After all, we are born on this planet to do some service in some way for the glory of God.

Perhaps for some of us our service is ere existence.  I have often reflected on this as it affects people who are dealing with disability and illness.  After all, God is perfect and infinite and loving.  And His INFINITY means that God can create anything without any effort.  In other words, God does not break a sweat by doing things that I think are very hard.  An omnipotent Being has no need of effort.  And this means that when a human being is born with additional needs – physical or mental or emotional disabilities – this is not a mistake.  They are not an accident because God got tired or cranky or careless one day and accidentally created a being who was not like the “rest” of us.  They are like this because God – in His Infinite Wisdom – created a human being who would have an additional challenge in this way.  For some of these people the challenge is physically very obvious.  They look different or act differently.  For others it might not be evident at first, but could become evident upon closer association.

In any case, these people are a witness to the power and glory of God – as are we all.  These are the chosen souls, who God placed on this earth so that we others will be better people.  They are here so that we will take more care of them and love them more for their limitations.  And in many ways, these chosen souls have fewer limitations than the rest of us who run around in the rat-race fo this world chasing our tails and trying to get ahead…

“Jesus said, ‘I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gave me to do...  I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gave me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gave them to me, and they have kept thy word ... and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world.’” (John 17:1-11a).And I have been thinking about that today.  For it seems to me that every soul who I encounter who has a disability is reflecting only a halo of the magnificence of God.  Because despite all the odds.  Despite the rarity of their conception and survival, and despite all the limitations and challenges and hardships they and their families deal with in the world, they are here ,and WE are better for that.  And that seems like the most wonderful Grace from my Beloved.  A most wonderful wonderful Grace…

And when I think about this today, it seems to me that there are no accidents.  Instead, there are only marvellous miracles of creation, sent to us by a God of LOVE who

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.