Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
You may have read about my daughter Violet being born blind. As you can imagine a ton of emotions and fears and hopes have been working through our family the last month or so. I’d love to share with you some great news and hopefully encourage your heart a bit.
The Bible uses the example of physical blindness a lot to help us see the unfortunate truth of spiritual blindness. I now read these passages with a whole new perspective—I get the joy and blessing of getting an insight into how God sees us and how excited he is that his children can see!
God loves that his children see him
When we got Violet home from surgery, took off the metal shields that were guarding her eyes, she soon began looking at Jen and I then smiling with her big dopey grin. I’m sure we just look like blurry white circles to her—but she knew her mommy and her daddy where there and she saw us for the first time.
Wow. It’s amazing that first time your baby sees you and responds. God is a Father… I’m positive that when folks are praying to him in faith for the first time or having a moment of clear worship, he’s absolutely thrilled. I can promise you, God is way happier than you when you respond to him in faith.
God set the example of showing the depths of sacrifice a father would go for his kids
You can say you’d do anything for your child, but there is a pain-worn joy that comes on the backside of a tough season. The cost of a hospital room or a great surgeon is the smallest cost, the toll it took on my heart and the people around me who I love was heavy. But all of those feelings and all of those thoughts were worth it and more. I have a baby who can see.
My sacrifice for Violet was nothing—absolutely nothing—compared to the price God paid so we could see. The emotional pain of leaving his throne to live in a sinful world, the physical pain of slow death by asphyxiation on the cross, and the torment of seeing the effect of sin up close was a huge price. But to God it was all worth it. He proved that he would go to the most extreme length so his children could see.
“There will be a day when all of God’s children will see with new eyes. They will see clearly.”
God has hope that even though we only see in part—one day we will see clearly
Violet’s eyes are doing great, they’re healing, she’s starting to see high contrast, and her little Coke bottle glasses are helping even more. The doctor says even though her eyes are good, she may always see in SD when we live in an HD world. She still can’t see like I can.
This reminds me of 1 Corinthians 13:12. Paul reminds us that even though God gave us new spiritual eyes we only see in part. We grow in discernment and we grow in faith, but we don’t see the world like God does—yet.
There will be a day when all of God’s children will see with new eyes. They will see clearly. I have a lot of hope that baby Violet will get to know and love Jesus. I have a lot of hope that one day she will get new eyes to see and a new heart to feel.
God promises a new body and new heart
Even though it’s hard knowing my daughter is going to go through the physical discomfort of glasses on her little baby nose, the social teasing that’ll happen when she’s the only kid on the playground with thick glasses, and the emotional strain of being different, one day I pray she’ll get a new heavenly body with new heavenly eyes and a new heavenly heart.
Thank you all of praying for baby Violet, Jen, and I. We appreciate you all so much and we’re thankful to hear how many people’s faith has increased through this trial.
~ Mike
From the Resurgence
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