Hear

"In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book," Isaiah 29:18.

He was a forty-something year old, pushing fifty. It was maybe about forty-five years ago. This was at a lectureship down south somewhere. The class was gathered to hear about various ministries the scattered congregations engaged. Out of a few thousand people at the lectures, this class was about thirty or forty people. Anyway, this guy was talking about the challenges of deaf people and the hope of the gospel. He was impassioned in his animated speech. The animation was sign language. Despite his passion, the word from his mouth was labored though you could understand it OK, if you paid close attention. Despite the impedance of speech, the audience was in the palm of his hand. Clearly, he was telling about Jesus who healed deaf and mute people. And he said his hope was expressed, as was the hope of others, in the Isaiah passage above. One day, he was to hear the Word of the book fulfilled when unstopped ears would hear, when unbound tongues would praise God for joy unimpeded. When he and millions of saints might shout Victory! around the throne of God, Savior. Sky kingdom.

With a brother or sister today we listen to words of the Book to hear of God's love and majesty. And, together, our hearts speak clear thanks to our God for Jesus, hope of the nations.