Listening With The Soul

“For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress, I shall not be shaken.”  Psalm 62:5-6

I visited a dear couple that were in the church I first served in ministry.  She is currently in a memory care facility, and he visits her twice a day.  The second time, he brings her cookies for her afternoon snack and feeds them to her.  Her eyes were closed as we talked, and he shared stories of their sixty-six years of marriage.  Dementia has taken her voice and body but not her soul.  When the caregivers moved her into her wheelchair, she opened her eyes and looked deep into my eyes.  I could see she was still in her body, and I looked deep into her soul.  She was listening with her soul.

As he shared with me over lunch, I listened to my friend’s heart and soul – a soul that was lonely and hurting for the one he loved.  I listen to his tears, his commitment, and his abiding love for his wife.  He treasured the moments when she looked at him.  The moments she returned a hand squeeze.  The moments where their souls remained connected.

Disease or death may take the body, but love maintains the soul and love never ends.  The soul is what makes a person alive.  It is the essence of the person.  We grieve the loss of touch, presence, and companionship.  Tears express the words of love.  I listened to the sweetness of my friend’s tears as he talked of their life together and their enduring love.  I hugged my friend who was like a dad to me when I began my ministry.  I felt his sorrow, but I also experienced the joy of a life well lived and shared together.  He loved when life was tough and that is commitment.

As I reflected on my visit with my dear friends, a song came into my heart – “Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus.”  Here is the first verse and chorus –

O soul are you weary and troubled

No light in the darkness you see

There’s light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace 

When we listen to the world, the news, social media, negative people and our own sadness, our souls are weary and troubled. The darkness is consuming.  Our souls are exhausted from attempting to do everything that is expected and even necessary.  When the focus is on all the work and tasks of life the burden is intense.  We are focusing on the world, the hurt, the sadness, the overwhelming work, and it feels like we have to do it all alone.  Life feels impossible.

That is when we need to turn to Jesus.  Look full into the face of Jesus.  What we thought was insurmountable, the light of Jesus makes everything pale in comparison.  When my friend’s wife looked full into his face, the disease of dementia was gone for a moment and all that was present was love.

When we turn our eyes to Jesus our souls find peace in His presence.  We need to live more in these moments.  Keep turning toward Jesus.  When the world and the sorrow of life overwhelm, turn to Jesus.  When it seems impossible to live in this different life, turn to Jesus.  When you are searching for hope and purpose, turn first to Jesus.  “Look full in his wonderful face.  And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.”