Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Short But Sweet

Episode Transcription

My friend, Christy, has multiple sclerosis and diabetes – if you know anything about those problems, you know Christy deals with pain.  And you can see it in her eyes.  But what I like about Christy is that she isn’t about to be beaten by this double whammy of a medical condition.  No, she has started a support group to help other Christians who wrestle against pain… and she writes a regular column for encouragement.

Now that’s all well and good, but because she’s taken charge – you know, taken leadership and responsibility of her condition – many onlookers see her as a spiritual giant.  Well, I read her response to that in one of her recent columns. She said, “People assume that no matter what, you'll face it with the faith of Noah, the patience of Job and the courage of David.  Now, that is a fine goal to be sure, but more often I find myself reacting like Peter; sinking and crying out, [as he did in Matthew 14] ‘Lord, save me!’” 

When I read that, I just had to stop.  In fact, I didn’t have to read any further. All the encouragement I needed for the day I read the column was right there.  Because you may not have multiple sclerosis or diabetes… you may not be a quadriplegic like me… but you definitely have days when you feel like you’re sinking, like you’re drowning… try as you will, you simply can’t meet everyone’s expectations… bills pile up, checkbooks don’t balance, you were too late to file an extension on your taxes, the store won’t take back your return item without a receipt, and then the straw that breaks the camel’s back, the checkout clerk forgot to bag your eggs.  They’re small things, aren’t they – they’re almost silly things – but when piled on top of one another, when coupled with neuritis or neuralgia, well, you find yourself drowning. Like Peter, you’re sinking. And you cry out simply, “Lord, save me!” My, what a Scriptural, what a very biblical thing to say!

“Lord, save me!”  Just three words.  But don’t you agree, wouldn’t you say that it’s those short, sweet portions of Scripture, like that one right there from Matthew 14, those short, sweet portions of Scripture almost always go right to the heart?  Bible verses like, well… “Rejoice always,” or “Welcome trials,” or “Pray without ceasing,” or “Resist the devil,” or that other one, “Draw near to God.” And think of the power in those wonderful verses that simply are short and sweet and state that “Jesus wept.” Hey, God weeps.  He is moved by Christy’s plight and mine!  And He’s moved by yours, too.

Feeling like you’re drowning today?  Don’t have enough strength to pray?  Then I give you Matthew 14.  It’s short, sweet, and I guarantee it will go right to the heart, not only your heart, but the heart of God.  Because He is moved by your plight when you’re drowning and you simply cry out, “Lord, save me!”

 

Used by permission of

JONI AND FRIENDS

P.O. Box 3333

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www.joniandfriends.org

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