Today, talk to someone about Christ – what are you waiting for?
Check out this photo of these women hearing the Gospel for the first time here!
SHAUNA: Welcome to Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Joni has a great story to tell the nations! Lean in and be blessed!
(Joni sings :)
We've a story to tell to the nations That will turn their hearts to the right.
A story of truth and mercy.
It’s a story of peace and light. A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to the dawning, And the dawning to noonday bright.
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come to earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
JONI: You know, I love that song and when I arrive at headquarters of Joni and Friends in the morning, as you know, I love to wheel up the ramp because I just love singing this song. Like today—I was thinking of our Wheels for the World team who are just arriving in India right now, loaded down with wheelchairs and Bibles, and I’m thinking of all the many people with disabilities who will hear about Jesus! Because we’ve got a story to tell to the nations! And I love singing about it. Every morning when I come through the doors of Joni and Friends, I do. Because the place where I work inspires me, not to mention how the Bible inspires us all, to “Exalt the Lord [where?] among the nations.” “Proclaim His glory and greatness among the peoples of the earth.” And Wheels for the World is doing that right now—in India, proclaiming God’s glory and greatness.
I’m inspired by my co-workers who make Wheels for the World happen; and yes [get this], I’m even inspired by the big photographs we have on the walls here at the International Disability Center. In fact, right before I wheel up the ramp on the way to my office on the second floor, I always pass by this one huge photograph that shows one of our Wheels for the World outreaches in Africa. Now, in this photo there is an elderly woman sitting in one of our wheelchairs and she’s looking up into the face of this young African man with his Bible; he’s got a Gospel bracelet in his hand and he’s obviously showing her what the various beads on the bracelet mean. You know, black for our sin, red for the blood of Jesus, white for forgiveness, and so on. The old African woman seems to understand what this young man is saying, but there is a third person in the photograph. And I think it’s the old woman’s daughter, and she's standing there, dressed in her tribal garb with her hand on her hip and she’s looking directly into the camera [or I should say as I pass by this big photograph], she’s looking directly at me—right through me, and, oh, the look on her face.
Because her expression is a little like the Mona Lisa’s; it’s mysterious, it’s a little inscrutable. And to me she seems to be asking, “And Joni, when is the last time you gave the Gospel to someone like my mother?” Oh, my goodness, her look and those words inspire me to move into the day and do the work of the Kingdom. After all, we’ve got a story to tell to the nations, and not just the nations, but in our backyards. Because there’s somebody God wants me to talk to today. There’s someone God wants you to talk to today, someone who needs to know that Jesus cares. And you and I don’t have to go to Africa, but I will ask you [like that woman looking directly at you] from that photograph: “When was the last time you talked to someone about Christ?”
SHAUNA: Listening friend, you’ve just got to visit us at joniradio.org today where we’re sharing this exact photo. And then let us know what you think that African woman might be saying to you! I’m guessing you might hear her saying something like: “When’s the last time you talked to someone about Jesus Christ?”
© Joni and Friends