Leah’s Eyes

Seth crept into the dark room. He switched on the lamp and waved his arms back and forth above the crib. Leah didn't notice him. She was blind."Hi, baby," he whispered. She turned her tiny head toward the sound of his voice. He patted her hand through the bars. "What are you doing in here?" asked Mom, coming in from the hallway."I'm trying to make Leah see me," Seth said.Mom spread a quilt on the floor. "I'm not sure she'll ever be able to see you, Seth. But she can hear your voice and feel your touch."Seth sighed. "Why did God give her eyes that don't work?" Mom lifted Leah out of her crib and laid her on the quilt beside Seth. "We don't always understand the ways of the Lord, but we know that He can use the bad things that happen to us for good." "Blind eyes aren't good," said Seth."The Bible tells a story about a man born blind like Leah," said Mom. "People questioned Jesus about that man's eyes too." Leah gripped Seth's finger as Mom continued. "Jesus said the man was born blind so the world could see the great love and awesome power of God." Mom stroked Leah's cheek. "Then Jesus healed the man and he was no longer blind." "Is Jesus going to heal Leah?" asked Seth."I pray for that every day," said Mom. "As we wait for His answer, we can pray that Leah will hear God's voice and that He will give her special eyes to see Him with her heart.""I don't need eyes in my heart because my other eyes can see, right, Mom?""Everyone needs heart-eyes," said Mom. "We are all blind like Leah until we listen to God's voice and turn to Jesus.""My Sunday school teacher says the Bible is God's voice," said Seth."She's right," said Mom. "God's Word tells us why we need Jesus to save us from sin. When God opens our eyes to its truth, we can see His great love for us."Seth jumped up and bolted from the room. He returned with his Bible and plopped onto the quilt. "I think Leah will like the rainbow story."Leah turned her face toward Seth as he read God's Word. -Trine Grillo