Jesus isn’t just our King… he is your King. And that’s why I sing this hymn today… sing it with me…
(Joni sings:)
I’m forgiven because you were forsaken
I’m accepted; you were condemned
I’m alive and well, your spirit lives within me,
Because you died and rose again.
Amazing love, how can it be
That my king should die for me
Amazing love, I know it’s true
It’s my joy to honor you in all I do, I honor you
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and you don’t have to know me too well to know that I love to sing, especially a song like that. I love singing about Jesus being so personal that he just didn’t die for the general sins of the whole general world… no, he died specifically for my sins, your sins. He’s your Savior. As the song says, he’s your King. Amazing love, how can it be? Wow! And you do see how up close-and-personal Jesus is with virtually everyone he encounters in the New Testament. Take Luke 4. You know the story – everybody from the surrounding countryside was bringing sick people to see Jesus. Now, if the Lord were not a personal Savior, it could have panned out this way – imagine this.
Imagine Jesus surveying the crowd and saying, “Okay, all you blind people, you sit over here. And everybody who has a contagious disease (okay, get yourselves together in a group, all you people with diseases), you guys sit – see that tree over there – way over there. Now, where are the deaf? All you deaf people gather on that hill; see where Peter is? Peter, raise your hand – okay, all the deaf people gather around Peter. And you people who are paralyzed – calling all the paralyzed! Come on now guys, get yourselves together in a group right in the front, right here… Now, everybody in position, are you ready? Here goes! Here comes the healing! 1, 2…” Then, with a wave of his hand over the crowd, Jesus would shout, “Be healed!”
That’s kind of silly to think of but really he could have done it that way. His power would have allowed it; but his person certainly would not.Luke 4:40 describes it this way: “When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus, all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.” I love it that the verse makes a point of saying that Jesus laid his hands on “each one,” each individual, each person. Aren’t you glad Jesus did it that way? No grand-scale miracles of epic proportions were undertaken by him. Instead, he laid his hands on each one, each individual who came to him. And this is the kind of miracle God wants to do in your life. Today he reaches out to you with the same tenderness and humanity he showed more than 2000 years ago. You’re not “what’s her name?” No, he wants to give you his personal touch today.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends