A banquet of joy is being prepared for you up there in heaven. Let your endearing memories inspire you to have hope for what’s to come.
Hi, I’m Joni Tada with a few memories that are filled with hope.
I love a good memory, especially as I get to celebrate another birthday in a few days. It seems the older I get, the more I enjoy reflecting on sweet moments from my past. My most endearing memories, though, are ones that inspire hope. Many of them are from active days before my accident. I can recall the sound of my nails tapping the cool, ivory keys of a piano. I can still “feel” my fingers on earthing dirt in my mother’s garden; I can still feel my fingers peeling the skin off of a big navel orange. I can still remember what it feels like to hold a pencil, grip a hammer, or wash my face in the morning. Best of all, I can remember in detail my hands tightening the reins holding back my horse, as we’d canter toward a jump in the show ring. And I can feel what it was like to soar over that 4 foot-fence with her. So much fun!
Now, for some, memories like that, might well up sad feelings. And for me, they did make me sad years ago. But, I’ve got my focus on heaven. So reflections like the ones I’ve mentioned, they inspire hope. And it’s because these memories are vivid reminders that one day, I’ll have new hands. My fingers will work, and they will feel, and touch, and pluck, pick, scrub, dig, and caress. My hands are going to embrace loved ones. And I’ll be reaching out my new glorified hand to my husband’s and giving it a squeeze, just to see what it feels like! My best memories give shape to the hopeful future that I’m going to enjoy in heaven. Better yet, these memories are hints and whispers of even more wonderful things to come. The best parts of life now, are mere foreshadowing's of their awesome reality to come in heaven. And the joy I felt riding a horse, or splashing in a stream, or digging in the garden? That earthly joy is going to be multiplied in heaven far beyond my comprehension. Psalm 16 says that, “In Christ there’s fullness of joy and pleasures are at his right hand.” Oh, what a glorious hope we have through Jesus Christ! Our best memories will one day blossom into bigger, more joyous realities than we ever dreamed possible. The Bible guarantees it. It's assured. All because ours is a Christian hope, and not wishful thinking.
And as I approach my birthday? I am thinking of all the treasured memories I’ve collected over my 74 years. I look back on my past and sure, true, I’ve lost a lot. But I am about to gain a glorious eternity; and I want other people with disabilities to gain that eternity as well. And so as I embark on my 75th year? I’m going to do all I can to help other disabled people turn their sad memories into hope-filled ones through salvation in Christ. And so I’m celebrating my big day by asking you, my friends to donate to my birthday – it’ll mean I can tell families that struggle with disability about the heaven-hearted hope that is theirs in Jesus Christ. You want to join in on that party? Well you can, by visiting joniradio.org today and offering a gift in honor of my birthday. And remember, no matter what you’ve lost in this life – whether a loved one, your health, your ability to think clearly; whatever memories you have of what was “before,” let them inspire in you the hope of heaven. May each memory you treasure whet your appetite for the banquet of joy that is being prepared for you. Hey, help me invite more people to that party at joniradio.org. Again, the party’s happening at joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends