Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shana: This is Shana on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Here's Joni with a great story about the sovereignty of God.

Joni Eareckson Tada: Brad Mowery has always known, always read, that God is sovereign, but he and his wife had never really been faced with it in a personal way. All that changed, though, in August of 1999 when little Hannah was born. At first, Hannah just seemed to be a normal child, a late bloomer, perhaps, but normal. However, six months later, when they took her to the doctor, they learned that little Hannah had brain damage and was mostly likely blind.

That's when the struggle over God's sovereignty really began for Brad. He and his wife were told things like, "God doesn't want Hannah to be this way," and "If you have faith, she'll be healed." Brad at the time was on Young Life staff, and it was politely suggested that perhaps Young Life staff was not the right fit for him. In the midst of sympathy cards, Brad began earnestly digging through the Bible to see if God would heal his daughter.

When he stumbled across Matthew chapter 8, he read how a man with leprosy asked Jesus, "Lord, if you're willing, you can make me clean." And the Lord replied, "I am willing." To Brad's way of thinking, if the Lord were willing to respond to the suffering of a leper, why wouldn't He help Hannah? Well, that's when the doctrine of God's sovereignty began to be a comfort to Brad.

He reasoned that God only knows why He isn't at times "willing" to heal, but Brad could rest assured that it would all be for Hannah's good, actually, the good of the whole family. Also, Lamentations chapter 3 was a big comfort to Brad, for it says there that God "does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men." In other words, God takes no pleasure, He doesn't take delight in what Hannah has lost in terms of physical abilities, but He loves the way He is changing her in it and blessing her family and others through it.

As John Piper once observed, God has the capacity to view the world through two lenses. Through the narrow lens, He is grieved and angered at sin and suffering. Through the wide lens, He sees suffering in relation to God's eternal purpose. The parts may be an ugly mosaic, but when you step back, the whole is beautiful.

When Brad told me all this, he showed me a picture of Abraham Lincoln made up of thousands of little tiny photographs. If you look real closely, you can see photos of battle-worn soldiers, many with lost limbs. Under Abraham Lincoln's left eye, in the shadows, is even a photo of John Wilkes Booth. Many of the photos are of ugly, painful things, but many are beautiful ones of Abe Lincoln and his presidency. Altogether, the dark and light images create a powerful picture of one of the most beloved men in American history.

When Brad showed me this, he said, "God has this beautiful picture of Jesus, and in it are thousands, millions of tiny images. Images of you and me and my family, of Hannah, images of pain and disappointment, but also comfort and joy. Altogether, these light and dark images create a powerful picture of Jesus."

Shana: Oh friend, I know this message from Joni has blessed you, just like it blesses me. And we'd love to hear your comments about it, so go to JoniRadio.org today. Let us know what God is saying to you through His word and through this program. And let us know how we can pray for you.

Oh, and one more thing: Brad is still on staff with Young Life, but it's Young Life Capernaum, the outreach to children with disabilities. And Hannah, God bless her, she paved the way. We'll see you soon at JoniRadio.org.