The Eyes of the Blind Shall be Opened

Today, in church, one of our ministers preached a sermon titled "A Leap in the Mud". The story from the Bible can be found in John 9:1-12. It's the story of the blind man who Jesus healed by taking his saliva and dirt and making mud. Jesus applied the mud to the blind man's eyes and then asked him to go the sea and wash the mud off. When the man did so, he could see perfectly. Jesus healed him. Why did Jesus not just cure the man straight away? Why did he ask the man to go to the river to wash off the mud? I wonder...

When I was in college at Mercer University, I was lucky enough to be in the college choir. Justine, one of the girls in our choir was blind. I would see her across campus leaning on a friend, walking with a cane, or being led by a guide dog and I felt so sorry for her. I wondered if she was always blind. I marveled at how she was able to take classes, get to church, and have a normal college life.

One Christmas, our Mercer choir performed Handel's Messiah at the Grand Opera House in Macon. The house was packed. When it came time for Justine to sing her solo, another choir member led her to the microphone. Justine looked so fragile and frail standing on that enormous stage. She stood there for a moment waiting. Every eye in the house was on her. I know I was holding my breath and imagine most everyone was right there with me.

She began to sing and it was as if an angel had descended from Heaven to deliver a message to us. We were mesmerized. I remember thinking, God gave Justine this beautiful voice so that people could see and feel His love. It was humbling for me. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, I was and will be forever changed.

Since that time, I've had opportunities to see Handel's Messiah again and again. Every time I hear it, I close my eyes during the performance. It helps me remember Justine and the way I felt when I heard her sing. In my temporary blindness, I truly listen way down deep with my heart. Distractions fade away. I'm like the blind man walking to the river hoping that the mud applied to my eyes by Jesus might finally wash off my blindness.

In Isaiah 35:6, it says "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped." If we are able to see that God is perfect in his love for us, then haven't we opened our eyes to an all powerful, all knowing, and completely merciful God.

My days of college are long past, but the Justine moments remind me that I have the choice to be able to experience and see God's love every day. It makes me so joyful to think of His grace allowing the blinders to be removed from our eyes. Maybe Jesus put the mud on the man's eyes so he would have to travel to the sea trusting that God would show him the path. That God has the map and we just have to believe he will guide us to where we need to travel. Justine knew that when she sang her solo - she had to trust God to give her strength to live each day in complete darkness. Now, it is my turn to trust that He can lead me to where my eyes shall be opened.

That's a Great Question - Why do I teach Yoga in a Christian Church?

The other night, my husband and I were having a lovely dinner with another couple who had invited us over. The evening was wonderful - great food, lively conversation, and relaxation. The husband, a devoted Christian, was asking me how I got interested in yoga and more specifically in teaching yoga. He understood yoga to be rooted in Hinduism and Buddism and was trying to get his head around the fact that I taught yoga in a Christian church to Christians. How exactly does a Christian teach yoga he wondered?

The question begs an answer. Teaching yoga, for me, is not just an opportunity to teach others about the physical benefits of stretching and becoming stronger through the practice of yoga. Sure, that is a part of what I hope to accomplish. But more than that, is the opportunity for me to teach others to slow down and listen to our Father, to break out of the distractions and craziness of daily life, and prayerfully listen to His voice. You can't do that if your always distracted and busy. You need some carved out quiet time and that's what is carved out in class.

Prayer, and scripture from the Bible are in my classes. We focus on being grateful and joyful to God for our health and wellness. We practice glorifying Him, not ourselves when we give thanks for our accomplishments. It is amazing to me how much we take for granted, so we slow down and thank the Lord for his many blessings.

If we sit still, and we ask for God to come into our hearts, He will.

That's why I teach yoga - to offer people an opportunity to "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord"(Psalm 27:4). It's a discipline that starts and then grows daily with each time we open our hearts to His Word as we do our daily practice.

Also, because it's hard to know when to stop "doing" for everybody else, yoga class offers us to take a time out from the multi-tasking we sometimes call life. Yoga class for me reminds me of what the flight attendants say about putting on our oxygen masks before a commercial plane flight. "If oxygen levels are low, the mask above you will drop from the overhead. Make sure to secure your own mask before assisting others."

It isn't selfish if we think about it thoughtfully. We can't help anyone else if we can't breathe yourself. And from a perfectly practical point of view, it stands to reason that the healthier we are, the better we are able to serve others.

So, that's why I teach yoga.

Have we learned to be still in God's presence? Have we ceased our work long enough to receive God's gifts? How can we if we don't put the oxygen mask on once in awhile?