Waiting For His Master

Waiting For His Master

Since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him! Isaiah 64:4

I entered the sunroom as the first rays of dawning light were shining through the nursing home windows. Throughout the day, the temperature in that sunny room would continue to rise by several degrees as light spilled through the glass and reflected off the walls, producing a radiant glow.

Marvin, an elderly man with a few remaining wisps of white hair, sat in the sunniest part of the room with his face lifted toward the rising sun. He looked up expectantly, as if anticipating a glimpse of something. But if Marvin saw anything out those windows, it was something the rest of us couldn’t see because Marvin had lost his eyesight many years ago.

Before he arrived at the home, he’d been a preacher for nearly eighty years. His ophthalmologist had tried valiantly for many years to stem the tide of darkness that gradually washed away Marvin’s sight, but nothing could stop the deterioration.

During his first few years in the nursing home, he would smile when I greeted him. But now, even shouting, “Good morning, Marvin!” wouldn’t get a response, because the years had taken his hearing, as well. Now, he just sat by the window in silence, like a loyal dog waiting for his master to return.

I touched his shoulder, and he clasped my hand and gave me an affirmative squeeze. This was our sign that all was still well with the world.

To those who didn’t know Marvin, his world may have seemed dark, quiet, and meaningless. But I knew that his heart and mind were alive with thoughts of what would come next. He’d never missed a Sunday as a preacher, and during those years he taught about the promises of God. Though he could no longer communicate with others, I knew he was rehearsing God’s promises in his very active mind. Marvin greeted the sunrise every morning. Though he couldn’t see it, he could feel it. To him, it was a reminder that God’s promises are new every day, as he waited expectantly for his Master to call him home.

TODAY’S RX

Attune your spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear what God is doing all around us.

God, help me not to take my health for granted, but to be grateful for all I have. I desire to be in tune with you always, listening for your call and feeling the warmth of your presence.