LORD OF DISABILITIES AND PHYSICAL AFFLICTIONS

Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

(Exodus 4:11 ESV)

This morning in my devotions I was reading Day 30 of the book "90 Days of God's Goodness," by Randy Alcorn.  I found it was the first time that I have read someone take on this idea of disabilities and physical afflictions from a Biblical perspective.  I found it truly uplifting to know that actually, God is very aware of our physical afflictions, disabilities and suffering.  He does care and loves us, why?  Because he is the one who gives them.  

Randy Alcorn says, "Remarkably, God takes full credit here for giving disabilities. God doesn’t say the Fall makes people deaf, the Curse makes them mute, or Satan makes them blind. God says that he does. He doesn’t attempt to give a full list. But doesn’t he clearly intend us to understand that he also gives people Down syndrome, deformities, cancer, and diabetes?  Just because we don’t like the idea that deformities, diseases, and suffering come from God’s own hand does not alter Scripture.  Our discomfort will not change God’s mind. We don’t get a vote. 

Many Christians deliberately distance God from disabilities and diseases, sometimes arguing that people won’t trust a God who would deliberately dispense such things. Yet I have spoken with disabled people who didn’t find comfort until they finally came to believe that God had made them as they are.  

Right-thinking believers find reassurance in knowing that such life-altering abnormalities don’t happen randomly or because of bad luck but are granted to us with divine purpose. God doesn’t helplessly watch us suffer because of bad genes, an accident caused by Satan, or careless or evil people. Rather, he offers us help in dealing with any disability he has given us….  If we believe that God has made these individuals as they are, then we can love them as he intends."

It is truly remarkable that God wants us to accept our afflictions, deformities and disabilities because he made us as we are!  We are crowning glory of His creation even with our afflictions and disabilities.  It is no wonder that God often used people throughout the Bible and throughout history who had deformities, personal afflictions and disabilities.  Moses, and his speech impediment.  David, and his small stature.  Paul, had personal physical afflictions and was apparently not very good looking.  Today, I think of Joni Eareckson Tada whom God has used powerfully for His glory.  

I am humbled by the fact that God has taught me that God has made us all as we are and loves us completely and I in turn can love others as God has created them.