Simplicity of Faith Heals the Complexity Fear

I was astounded at the wisdom of the words of a  young woman who will never send an email or read a book. My friend, Sommer, is a thirty-some, born with physical impairments, limiting her to see the world through the eyes of a 5 year old.

OR is this limitation a source of illumination?

Loving and nurturing, she frequently carries a baby doll, living in her world of imagination. Bold and focused are her convictions, as she stops in a restaurant to lay hands (uninvited) on the shoulders of a soldier to pray. She sees God clearly, communicating with Him continually.

Her purity gives her a clarity of the reality of God’s love. 

One October morning, sitting on a porch over looking the Colorado river,  I was a recipient of her nurturing and prayers. I had severely injured my ankle from an ATV rolling over. Unsure if it was broken, I was confined to the porch with a day of ice packs.

Sommer was my constant companion of conversation and comfort. I had never had an extensive conversation with this young woman, assuming that her words would be elementary in meaning.

Her words illuminated the gospel message. She stroked my arm and softly reassured me that “Jesus loves you and he will heal you!” The purity of her belief in those words and the gaze of her eyes were healing. She then began to tell me the power of the empty tomb, in a way only Sommer could tell.

Her mind is simple but strong. She lives in peace with a pure focus of the love of God. She’s a shining example of how a purity of focus can give a clarity of vision. Fear blurs my focus with the confusion of multiple concerns blinding my sense of God’s presence and provision. 

The strength of simple focus on the pure trusting love of God can heal a hurting life. Mark 10 gives the account of how precious the simple, pure trust of a child is to the kingdom of God.

And they kept bringing young children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples were reproving them [for it]. 

 But when Jesus saw [it], He was indignant and ^[a]pained and said to them, Allow the children to come to Me—do not forbid or prevent or hinder them—for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] positively shall not enter it at all.

And He took them [the children up ^[b]one by one] in His arms and [^[c]fervently invoked a] blessing, placing His hands upon them.  (Mark 10:13-16 AMP)

 Mark 10 also speaks of the hard heart of the Pharisees, in v5, who were blind to the presence of God and the weak hearted faith of the rich young ruler in v 24. Between v5 and v24 there is v15 where Jesus makes it clear that These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” (MSG). 

The lesson Sommer taught me that morning, was the need to focus on the reality of God’s presence and the faithfulness of His love – all the time, anywhere with the simple confidence of a trusting child. 

As the words of the song The Hurt and the Healer  I will “Just keep my eyes completely fixed on You” as I simply and completely fix my focus on God, giving me a clarity of vision to die to my fears and live hopeful and healed.