Repairers & Restorers: Rejoice!

What an honor to receive the “Guardian of the Power and Rights of People with Disabilities Award” from REACH of Plano http://www.reachcils.org/locations/plano (a Center for Independent Living), in honor of Justin Dart, Father of the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).  This new award is given in his honor to those who like Justin  have “embodied his wishes:  Advocate for others with disabilities, show Passion, Persistence, Fervent activism, Honesty, Respectful, demonstrate gentleness, love, and appreciation for all the abilities of people & work for the social inclusion of people with disabilities in the community.”

Wow.  First reaction?  I am unworthy.  Thankful, but unworthy.  There is so much more work to be done!  Hardly time to stop and acknowledge my feeble efforts on behalf of people and families affected by disability.

Yet this morning my reading from Isaiah 58:9-12 speaks of a similar award:  the “Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” bestowed upon those who “do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk…in behalf of the hungry and …the needs of the oppressed…”

And the reward for that?  IMHO FAR outweighs the efforts involved:

“then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.”

Strengthen my frame?  Be well-watered? With springs that never fail? I’ll take it, Lord! And be thankful.

So fear not you Repairers & Restorers who toil tirelessly in the service of others affected by disability!  For You shall be richly rewarded in ways that you could never even imagine.

In His Accessible Grace,

Linda

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