There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,
In all of life’s ebb and flow.
Refrain
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
Boy, that’s a happy hymn, isn’t it? I am so inspired and blessed by the girls who get me up in the morning – in fact, Ken and I just took them all out to dinner last night. Just to treat them; just to say thanks. I’ve got about eight different women who help me get up in the morning on any given day: there’s Carolyn on Monday; my friend, Patti on Tuesday; Rainey on Wednesday, and so on. One or two of these girls live a long distance from my house, but they set their alarms extra early to make it to my home by 7:30 in the morning. And I love them for doing it. They come into my bedroom with a cup of hot coffee, they exercise my legs, putting my body through range-of-motion exercises; they help me bathe, they get dressed, they sit me up in my wheelchair, brush my teeth and comb my hair, get me breakfast, and get me moving out the front door. And they do it all… out of a happy delight to serve. You know how I know they’re happy? Because before we all part in the morning, we sing. We sing a happy hymn – like this one I just did.
That’s why I'm so blessed by these girls. Biblical service for them is not a willpower effort that forces itself to do things just because God said to. No, it’s not begrudging duty, like, well, gee, okay, I got to follow Jesus in this! Rather, service should be a joyful outflow of a heart that is completely satisfied in God – it’s a happy delight to serve Him. I think the girls who help me realize there’s a “bigger picture” to their service. They’re not just helping a quadriplegic get up in the morning and get in her wheelchair; they are serving Jesus, they are on a mission to represent Him, and to do it with a joyful heart. Friend, that’s something you can do in your church, in your own community. Find that person or family with a special need. And then... (as it says in Psalm 100) "Serve the Lord with gladness." Get that? We’re supposed to serve God with gladness. Ephesians 6 says, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.” So friend, if you’re serving Jesus today, be glad! That’s an order; that’s a command. Anything less does not honor our Lord of joy.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
© Joni and Friends