A Life Altering Gift

I've got leukemia. Along with the many maladies I’ve endured like, numerous strokes, a’ heart attack and cancer, plus many other life altering circumstances. It's just become another thing that’s made me tired. Yet I still trudge on and sadly, that’s how life gets for all of us, if we live long enough. Life is now on the down hill slope to death.


By that initial statement one would think I was most pitiful. Honestly, if I were to constantly live in that attitude, I would be the most wretched of souls. But I don’t, and I’m not. Instead I’ve learned to live in gratitude, to celebrate the youth in others that I can no longer live. Celebrate children's play (even if it’s a bit loud) , revel in the laugh of a baby and take in the beauty of all the wonderful people that have surround me. God is good.


About 8 months ago, I started to lose my eyesight due to diabetic retinopathy. I’d been having problems for several years with bleeding in my retina and though it was a hindrance, it was manageable…until it wasn’t. Within a matter of hours, my sight diminished, and my right eye started to bleed profusely.  I had lost enough sight that I was no longer able to drive, the same happened in my left eye a few months later. Couple that with my worsening cataracts and I didn't have such a bright future, if you know what I mean. I’d like to tell you about what a great man of faith I became. I really would but… 


People often commented on my great attitude and how I endured these many afflictions with such grace. What I never let them see is the scared little boy, who was reaching out for his daddy. The crying and despair wasn’t seen by many and those who did see, kept my little secret, I held up a really good front. It was at this point, the words of Paul really began to resonate with me. 


2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV   But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me".

The weaker I'd become, the more of His strength was being revealed in me. I would have become a weakling for Christ years ago, if I would have latched on to that truth. It was in the midst of the struggle with my eyes, that a little house church came into my life.


Since I could no longer drive myself the twenty miles to church, my pastor’s daughter and son-in-law offered to take me to their home church. I had always held a special place in my heart for them and they'd always been a real encouragement to me. So I said “sure”, not realizing the life altering gift they had just given me.  


I remember walking in, I’m quite shy and withdrawn when meeting new people and this was no exception. An old man among so much youth and not seeing properly? It was a bit overwhelming. Yet, I felt strangely welcomed. I was introduced to everyone and we all sat down. It was controlled chaos at first, with all the children playing. But when the music started, it all settled down. It had been a long time since I had been in this type of worship and it was just what my soul needed.  


After about an hour into worship (which seemed like a few minutes) The kids were dismissed to their area and the adults facilitated a discussion.(I don’t remember about what) When it was over and time to pray, a young woman who was almost 40 but looked 15 years younger approached me. She was very humble and sweet, but very earnest and intense and asked “if she could pray for me and anoint me with oil” What am I going to say no? I was still a little apprehensive, and being surrounded by a group of young people that just met me didn't help. It was then that God made his presence known. I cried (to the point of ugly crying), felt very embarrassed, but comforted in a way that I hadn't felt in many years.  My Daddy heard the cry of my heart, met me in my despair, and lifted me into his loving arms. That encounter forever changed me. I wish the world could grasp the richness of His love that is manifested through His children. I could never express the gratitude I have for these young people, for the love shown to me, a blind old man. It got me through a really hard time


After four surgeries my eyes are better, and my heart is still warm. Because of the love and kindness shown to a hurting old man, the true nature of God’s love was revealed through these little ones.


Brother Scott

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