Speak Tenderly

Speak Tenderly

The other day while visiting at the nursing home, a new patient was wheeled into the main room to listen to the music we had all gathered to hear. She obviously had suffered a stroke and it had left her body in a terrible state. By looking at her face, I could tell she was once a beautiful woman. She had dark eyes, high cheek bones, small features, and a petite frame. I wondered what she was like before the cruel word of stroke had invaded her life. She was left paralyzed on one side and had lost the ability to speak. On this day, when I looked deep into her eyes, I saw fear. Her head moved from side to side and her mouth moved, but no sound came out. As someone would pass by her, I would see her raise her only moveable hand to grasp at them, all to no avail. My heart ached for her. Was she crying out for help in a voice that only she could hear? Every once in a while a nurse would stop, speak to her, then pat her hand. Efforts that did not seem to satisfy as she continued to twitch, speak with no words, and move her head from side to side. All the while, fear poured out of her deep brown eyes.

A man walked into the room. He was a stately gentleman, tall, with white hair. He was the type of man whose presence commanded attention just by entering a room. I wondered to myself, who might he be looking for? He found her, his eyes never left her face as he walked across the room and came to the side of the woman I had been watching. He bent down and took her hand, then said, “Good morning, darling, how is my bride today?” Her expression completely changed, she stopped twitching and moving from side to side. He got very close to her and kissed her on the mouth. He knelt by her chair and continued speaking to her. He spoke into her ear, in tones so low only she could hear. As he spoke, one hand grasped her free hand, while the other stroked her face and hair. The fear faded from her eyes and all the tenseness dissipated as she breathed deeply and with peace. Then, with all the effort her almost motionless body could exert, she leaned her head and face into his hand that was stroking her face. It was her only movement to receive his love; her conscience awareness of his nearness and the desire to embrace his affections.

My heart was torn into pieces as I watched this scene play out before my eyes. My thoughts ran to scripture. I thought of Hosea and how the Lord said that He would lure His bride to the wilderness and speak tenderly to her there. Stroke and the life, or should I say the lack of life, that flows from it, could definitely be described as a wilderness.
And there her bridegroom was speaking tenderly to her. I thought about my own wildernesses and how my heavenly Bridegroom has always been faithful to meet me there, to lead, guide, and speak. I too have been paralyzed multiple times on this journey. I have been paralyzed with sin. Life has left me wrecked,distorted, and fearful, yet the nearness of my Bridegroom brings peace as He floods my life with His grace and forgiveness. My flailing, reaching, and restlessness are stilled as He seems to stroke my life with healing and truth. All fear is cast out as I experience His perfect love being poured into my life. Comfort cascades as I lean into Him and He speaks tenderly to me, calling me by name, calling me His own.

Hosea 2:14-15, I John 4:18, Psalm 73:28, Isaiah 43:1