"I wish Sarah was different", or, I know that my redeemer lives

I suspected that it would happen eventually.  One day, our oldest daughter let something out.  "I wish Sarah was different.  I wish she didn't have this."

Yes, so do I.  How does one begin to respond to the questions of a 7 year old on such things?  I suspect that over the last few years, as Emily has grown and become more aware of a sibling who is "different", many questions have arisen in her mind.  Why is she like this?  Why can't she do this, or that?  Why does she see the doctor so much?  Will she get better?

Emily:

It is true, she will get better.  How can I begin to explain?  You know about Jesus, and you remember Easter?  How Jesus died and then God raised him up to life again?  Well, we all need to be raised up again.  None of us are really the way the God wants us to be.  We all have parts of us that are broken and need God to help us.  Some of it is on the inside, and some of it is on the outside.

Well, you see, with Sarah it looks like a lot of it is on the outside.  The world and all the people in it need God, because we all need fixing.  That's what Jesus came to do.  He's helping us get fixed.  He fixes us on the inside, where our hearts are.  He helps us love God and each other.  But he also is going to fix us on the outside.  And that's part of Easter, too.  Jesus promised that he would fix people who are broken on the outside too.  And he will help Sarah to get better on the outside.  It just won't happen right away.  It will happen later on, when Sarah gets a new kind of body from God. 

What will that be like?  Well, all the good things that Sarah tries to do and can't  -  she'll be able to do all those things then.  Like when she tries to sing along but can't keep up, or can't say the words?  You know she wants to on the inside but her outside just doesn't work as well.   When God gives her a new body - her outside will be fixed just like her inside.  She'll be able to sing all those songs to God - maybe she'll even sing better than you and me!  And she won't have to go to the hospital anymore - her outside will be happy and healthy and she won't need to

But for now we have to wait.  It might seem like a long time, or it might seem like a short time.  I don't know.  But I do know this:  Jesus has promised to give us new hearts, and someday he will give us new bodies to put our new hearts in. 

part one...

Comments

[Shawn Branch]

One of God's beautiful children!

[Joseph]

While I enjoy Sarah's company here and now, and encourage her to reach her full potential with all her gifts, I also hold fast to the Christian hope of the resurrection, and the promise it holds for her in particular. Every week we say in the Creed "I believe in the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come".

I suspect she waits in joyful hope for the resurrection of the body. It strikes me as rather resigned that there has been in some quarters a downplaying of physical resurrection, when it appears to me to be a most hope filled part of our faith...

[Tim]

Thanks once again, Joe - I've posted a link to this on my blog. You inspire me, brother.

[steve the z]

Sarah has a beautiful smile.

[sally]

My son Chris has a major heart condition, on the outside he looks normal, but he is unable to do many things that his peers can, because of the many medications he is on he forgets things... it is not unusual for Chris to stand under the clock and ask what time it is!
When he was younger (he is 20 now) he declared that he was looking forward to heaven because he coud win races with his new body!.... Hows that for hope!