Scripture talks about walking in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit and being filled with the Spirit. But signing in the Spirit? Mark Buchanan (Canadian pastor, author and professor) shares a story that explains…
Signing
“Leanne was a member of the church I once pastored. She translated our services into American Sign Language for a small community of deaf people, from opening welcome to closing benediction, and all that lay between. She was particularly good at translating sermons – she clearly improved mine greatly.
“She was so animated – in her hands more words became whole scenes, huge pageantry. The congregation, both the deaf and the hearing, were often fixated on her, transfixed by her. I faded to a kind of background noise. I often wished I could speak as eloquently as she signed.”
Singing
“Leanne was recruited by her former church to sign for their Easter service. The year was 2000. She herself was a strong Christian. But her friend Ron, later her husband, was something else. He was on a spiritual quest that took him in many directions, but not to Jesus. At least not by his intention.
“The church asked Leanne to sign for one of their soloists performing the song ‘Watch the Lamb’. Leanne asked Ron, who also signed, to help her with it. They had dinner together, listened to the song repeatedly as they prepared the dinner, and afterward she practised signing it.
“To sign well you need to think in imagery, not just words. You need to picture the story, its motions, its colours, its drama. Only then can you find language to render it. They listened over and over to the song.
“It’s part ballad, part anthem. It tells the story of Simon of Cyrene and depicts Simon (not named in the song) as a father who’s travelled to Jerusalem with his two small sons for the Passover festival. They get caught up in the events of Christ’s passion and Simon is forced to carry His cross.
“Throughout the song the father has one refrain. ‘Watch the lamb,’ he tells his sons. He means it literally – they’ve brought a lamb to sacrifice in the temple for Passover. But in the confusion, in the commotion, when Simon is ordered to carry Christ’s cross, the boys fail in their one duty. The lose the lamb.
“The song’s last verse: ‘Daddy, daddy, what have we seen here? There’s so much that we don’t understand.’ So I took them in my arms, and we turned and faced the cross, then I said, ‘Dear children, watch the lamb.’
Saving
“Over and over Leanne and Ron listened, envisioning everything, embodying everything – the journey, the lamb, the cross, the suffering. Ron couldn’t get it out of his mind. Out of his heart. Out of his bone and muscle. He watched the lamb. He couldn’t turn away.
“Then came Easter morning. Leanne signed the service. And then she signed the song. Ron watched her bring the story of Christ’s suffering to life. He himself lived each moment. Not long after, Ron put his entire trust in Jesus. Soon after, Leanne and Ron married. That was 25 years ago this Easter. They’ve never turned back.”
I was touched by this beautiful love story told by Mark Buchanan about Leanne and Ron.
But, more important, is the even more beautiful love story behind the love story. It’s the story of God the Father’s love for each of us. It’s the story of God the Son’s love for us that led him to the cross to erase our sins. It’s the story of God the Spirit’s love for us which draws us into an intimate love relationship with Himself.
May you experience that love in a new and deeper way this Easter.
Rob Weatherby is a retired pastor.
