Do miracles really happen? I watched a young woman around 20 years old suddenly receive the gift of hearing for the first time in her life.
This woman has been completely unable to hear since birth. She had never heard the sound of her own voice.
The setting was not in a doctor’s office after a medical procedure, but at a worship conference.
At the conference, several of our artists had been invited to create large artworks as we poured out our praises to God through painting and sculpting.
One of my good friends on the art team knew she was meant to create the ear. She began our worship service by slowly unveiling one of the artworks from underneath a shroud of old rags and bandages, to reveal a sculpted clay-colored ear in bas relief.
The rags she removed as part of her worship had various words pre-written on them, symbolizing all the issues that keep us from listening to and believing God’s truth. Things like Pride. Stubbornness. Lies, such as It’s too hard to change, It’s hopeless anyway, and God does not care. My friend let the rags hit the floor, one by one, as she peeled them off to reveal the sculpted ear.
Then, in glad worship, my friend painted waves of radiant colors entering the ear, to indicate the beauty of the sounds of God.
After the worship session, my friend was immediately approached by the young woman who could not hear. The woman was asking the artist hard questions about her artwork of the sculpted ear.
My artist friend, being Spirit-led, wisely chose the posture of being quick to listen and slow to speak, as the woman voiced years of frustration and pain.
The woman explained that people had prayed for her many times to be able to hear, and she had honestly become hesitant and uncomfortable about labeling her deafness as a handicap. In fact, many in the deaf community will tell you they are indeed whole people who don’t need to be “fixed” or seen as targets for anothers’ helpfulness.
My friend listened carefully, with one ear to the woman, and one ear to God.
She responded to the young woman by saying our hearts are who we are, and nobody is defined by an ear working or not working. And that she could indeed rest in the knowledge that she is whole, loved, and cherished by her Maker. Then my friend asked the woman if she could take a moment to bless her.
The woman, relieved in being genuinely seen and heard, immediately accepted my friend’s invitation.
My friend prayed a prayer of blessing over the young woman. The young woman walked away with joy and a new lightness, having peace about her ears for the first time in a long time.
Later that day, the same young woman decided to let someone at the conference to pray for her to receive hearing.
And she did.
During the prayer, she felt a pop in her right ear… and she heard! For the first time in her life, she heard sound!
The young woman ran to my artist friend and gave her a huge hug with the good news. My friend was completely undone.
With tears and many hugs, the woman thanked her for showing her God’s love in a new way. I overheard the woman exclaim as she wiped her eyes and laughed: “Wow, this music is LOUD!”
The best part was watching the young woman sit with her group of friends after everyone else had left the conference.
As we artists packed away our artwork and supplies in the near-empty sanctuary, the young woman sat surrounded by friends in the quiet, softly clapping her hands next to her ear, perplexed and happy. Close friends had their arms around her, speaking softly to her.
I saw a young man hand her an ear bud as he listened on the other. He played a song, to her amazement.
Her friends were crying. She sat wide-eyed, smiling, rejoicing.
Yes, God heals today.
Sometimes hearts, and sometimes ears.
Sometimes both.
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