Hi, this is Joni Eareckson Tada with a special word about Chuck Colson …
Like you, our hearts are so heavy, hearing the news that Chuck has left us for Home. And we sure do pray for his wife Patty and the family. But I can’t help but think there might have been a few more tasks Chuck needed – he wanted -- to accomplish before passing the mantle to others. Yet God's timing is always perfect, isn’t it? Oh there will be other prophetic voices that will now rise up to call this nation to repentance… voices that will work just as hard to call this nation back to moral absolutes. But none of them will possess the weight and authority, the respect and gravitas of our friend, Chuck Colson.
I remember meeting this remarkable man in 1976 when Zondervan published both Joni and his book called Born Again. My story was about finding freedom through the confinement of my wheelchair; Chuck’s story was about finding freedom in Christ after his confinement in prison. And our connection between those two books would be the platform of a deep friendship that would continue to grow over the years. Our paths crossed often from 1976 on, and we frequently found ourselves together on the front lines (at press conferences or in Washington DC), speaking to the sanctity of life, speaking about ethical stem cell research, and the rights of the medically fragile, newborns with disabilities and the elderly. And if I had a question, or I needed his advice on some court decision to prematurely pull the plug on someone, Chuck was my go-to guy. And when I was appointed to the National Council on Disability years ago, he was the first one I called. No one knew the halls of Washington quite like this man!
In fact, it was the issue of safeguarding life that, I believe, encouraged Chuck and his team to recently present the Wilberforce Award to me. It was only a couple of weeks ago – that afternoon Chuck had been leading a group of us in a discussion on how we might work more closely together for the sanctity of life, religious liberties and the institution of marriage. He looked a little tired in the meeting, but never – never did any of us foresee that just hours later he would collapse, just as the Wilberforce Weekend was beginning.
Oh and all of us at Joni and Friends will miss his powerful voice on the urgent issues facing our nation. And if he were beside me here at this microphone, I know for certain there’d be one thing he’d want you to do. The last few years of his life were poured into the development and the promotion of something called the Manhattan Declaration; it’s an excellent and powerful document that states unequivocally the Christian’s stance on life, marriage, and religious liberties. The Declaration issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere firmly to their convictions in these three areas. And I know Chuck would encourage us to read and sign that declaration (which, of course, you can do so by going on-line to manhattandeclaration.org). I know it would be one way – an important way – that you personally could honor the legacy of this incredible Christian statesman.
Yes, the voice of Chuck Colson will be greatly missed. Who now will speak to the sanctity of life? The institution of marriage as a union between one man and one woman? And our religious liberties which are now more in jeopardy than ever because of the proposed regulations in the new healthcare law? Who will speak up? Well, Chuck would want you to be that voice – you and me, together standing strong for the Gospel of Christ and the sacredness of all life. Thanks, friend, for doing this for Chuck’s sake, but mostly for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends