Napp Time

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” John 9: 1 – 3

Last Tuesday, the ultrasound of our second son, Michael Bryce, revealed that he will be born with a cleft lip and possibly a cleft palate. This news grieved both of us as it would any parents who anticipate a perfect, healthy child. In a couple of months, a 3-D ultrasound may reveal the full extent of the cleft, but we may not know the full extent of it until he is born in October. We are saddened that Bryce will likely have to endure several surgeries in his early months, and that he will not look like a normal little boy for the first year of his life. It will be difficult for us to watch him endure the pain of surgery and recovery at an early age. The double-takes and stares from those who see him, while expected and understandable, will break our hearts.

However, there is a much larger story being told in the life of Michael Bryce. The works of God will be displayed in his life from the day of his birth. We know that before God created the universe, He ordained this birth defect. It is his perfect plan for Bryce’s life as well as ours. Jeremiah 1 tells us that God knows us before he even forms us in the womb. Psalm 139 says that God is knitting Michael Bryce together in Susanne’s womb as you read this blog post. This truth makes it plain that God knit this cleft into his lip – with a purpose revealed in John 9 – that the works of God might be displayed in Bryce. So, while our family will be asked to endure this hardship, our hearts will choose to say, “Lord, Blessed be your name!”

In the gamut of emotions that we faced this week, and after 7 days of reflection, I find myself battling some guilt. So many others endure so much more than this. Bryce’s cleft will be repaired, and by the time he is a year old there will only remain a small scar. Most likely, there will not be any long-term impact on his life as a result of the cleft. God has placed him in a time in history that allows his lip and palate to be fixed. For this we are grateful. But the greater miracle will come on the day when God himself repairs Bryce’s sinful, wicked, God-hating heart. That is a surgery that no doctor can perform and a miracle that my mind struggles to comprehend. Through the redemptive power found only in the cross of Jesus Christ, Bryce will one day stand justified before our Holy God as an adopted son in the Kingdom. Salvation is of infinitely greater value than health or appearance. It is my fervent prayer for both of my sons that they would treasure the kingdom of heaven as Jesus taught in the parable found in Matthew 13:44. It is far more valuable than anything they will know here.

Ultimately, we are honored that God has chosen us to endure this trial. We will praise the name of Jesus and we will agree with his Word. My specific prayer is that God would one day use Bryce’s mouth to display the glory of His son to the world. And I John 5:14-15 says that I will have this request granted, because I know that it is always God’s will for Jesus to be glorified. Glory to God Forever!