“Faith comes from listening, and hearing through the word of Christ.” ~ Romans 10:17
She immediately knew something was
wrong when her son Aiden was born. He wasn’t behaving the way her 3-year-old daughter
had. He wouldn’t track changes in light or smile as much. Kylee took him to his
first doctor’s appointment a week after he was born and said, “There’s
something wrong with my baby.”
The pediatrician checked Aiden over and assured her that all
was well. Kylee returned two days later, then the next week, and the following
week, each time with the same complaint, “There’s something wrong with my boy.”
After a particularly fitful night, the desperate Mom went
back to the doctor’s office. A retired pediatrician was filling in for Aiden’s
regular physician. She waited impatiently, angry that she’d have to explain
everything to this new doctor.
Eventually, he’d diagnose SSADH, a 35-letter, rare metabolic disorder. Aiden is effectively silent; “nonverbal” in clinical terms. At nine years old he speaks about a dozen words, eliciting only a few guttural sounds. There’s no cure.
Muscle weaknesses also affect his hands so his sign
language lacks precision. But communication is more than words, more than signs.
It’s a deeper connection that exists in the pauses - a glance, a breath, a
touch.
There are messages in the gaps. Things that aren’t said, or
haven’t been said yet, or experienced. For Kylee, that’s the still, quiet,
reassuring voice of God, a voice she’s learning to trust even more
because of Aiden.
When Aiden was sick, for example,
she held him continuously. Something told her that the infant needed to hear her
heartbeat. Her breathing soothed the scared little boy.
He’s a gift. He’s taught her how to
hone some of the most essential skills of being human - love, compassion,
service, and especially listening. To be still and present and reverent.
Most of us picture prayer sort of
like a monologue: We talk to God, sharing our heartfelt thanks and offering up
our petitions. But prayer is really more like a dialogue, where we silently talk
with God and He speaks back. Call it a “listening prayer.”
In making our request, we first give
God’s guidance authority over the other voices we hear throughout our daily
lives. Then we hit the pause button. We wait on God in a time of silence,
giving the Lord opportunity to speak to us. We focus our prayer time on
intentional, purposeful listening and let God do the talking.
Almighty Father, speak to me now. My heart
is open. Your servant is listening... for Your wisdom, insight, and direction.
And whatever You show me or direct me to do, I pray that I will quickly obey. Amen
