Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and make this your song for that loved one who doesn’t know Christ…
(Joni sings:)
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
And beyond the portals He’s waiting and watching,
He’s watching for you and for me.
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home, come home.
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling, oh sinner, come home.
I can’t think of a more beautiful hymn that expresses our heartfelt prayer for that one you love who is lost, that they might come to know Jesus. “Calling, oh sinner, come home.” What one of us hasn’t pleaded with God to take the scales off someone we love who is spiritually blind… unstop their spiritually deaf ears… soften their stony heart… and illumine their minds to the glories of the Gospel, the Good News that Jesus has shed his blood for them. And if you’re like me, sometimes it’s hard to know exactly how to pray – especially when you have been praying a long time. Well, listen to this beautiful poem (actually it’s a prayer) by Johann Heermann and it goes like this…
O Christ our Light, O radiance true, Shine forth on those estranged from you,
And bring them to your home again; Where their delight shall never end.
Fill with the radiance of your grace; The wanderer lost in error’s maze.
Enlighten those whose secret minds; Some deep delusion haunts and blinds.
Lord, open all reluctant ears; And take away the childish fears
Of those who tremble to express; The faith their secret hearts confess.
Lord, let your mercy’s gentle ray; Shine down on others strayed away.
To those in conscience wounded sore; Show heaven’s waiting, open door.
Well, I encourage you to continue to pray for your loved one and, if you’d like a copy of this beautiful prayer that I just shared, all you have to do is visit joniandfriendsradio.org today and download a copy or we can mail it off right away. Just write us at Joni and Friends, P.O. Box 3333, Agoura Hills, California 91376. As I said, it’s a wonderful poem to pray over your loved ones who don’t know Jesus Christ. And don’t forget, we meet for staff prayer every morning here at Joni and Friends and we would also love to join you in interceding on behalf of that loved one in your family who doesn’t know Jesus Christ, so let us know his or her name and we will be happy to do that at joniandfriendsradio.org.
(Joni sings:)
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling,
Calling, oh sinner come home.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 91376
© Joni and Friends