During Joni’s birthday week, learn about the God given grace she’s experienced that has helped her reach age 75 in her wheelchair. Also, hear why she loves the hymn Amazing Grace so much.
During Joni’s birthday week, learn about the God given grace she’s experienced that has helped her reach age 75 in her wheelchair. Also, hear why she loves the hymn Amazing Grace so much.
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Help honor Joni in a special way on her 75th birthday!
Thank you for celebrating with Joni!
SHAUNA: Hi, I’m Shauna, on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. Well Joni, one thing everyone knows about you is you love to sing.
JONI: I sure do, who doesn’t? And one of my favorite hymns is “Amazing Grace.” I love that. And I think it’s because of its story. The composer [as you may know], John Newton, was a former slave ship captain, a depraved reprobate who was converted by the grace of God. And when you read about his stark transformation, you can understand why he wrote a hymn celebrating that grace. But you’ve got to wonder, what ‘is’ grace? And why is it so amazing? Well, grace is the overflow of God’s loving nature. He is merciful and full of favor toward those who are trapped in sin, those he loves. And we are wholly undeserving of his mercy and favor. ‘That’s the amazing part. Because we are just like John Newton. We’re miserable sinners who have offended a holy God. We’ve injured others. We are, at the core, oh, so lost. But thankfully, God saves through his Son Jesus Christ. It is his grace that turns cold hearts of stone into warm hearts full of love for God. Grace saves us from ourselves and from hell.
Now, decades ago this grace meant everything when God saved me from the power of sin. But then, after the diving accident in which I broke my neck, I needed a different kind of grace. The kind that could help me to not only survive but thrive in a wheelchair. And that’s the ‘other’ part of God’s nature. He loves us so much, he gives grace – that is power – to help us live well, especially when we suffer. God assures us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that his, “grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.” And so, there’s saving grace and once we’re saved, there’s grace that helps us live like we’re saved!
And “this” is the grace that I live on every day in my wheelchair. Yes, I’m grateful that I’m saved by the blood of Jesus, and I’m glad that his blood gives me power to live day-by-day, especially as hard as life is with paralysis. So, yes, I’m amazed that grace saved me decades ago. And I’m amazed every time God’s grace gives me power to smile with more than half a century of paralysis behind me. It can all be summed up in Hebrews 4: “…I then approach the throne of grace with confidence. First, to receive mercy [now that’s salvation] then, to find grace to help in time of need [that’s power to live well].” So, it’s grace that has saved us in the beginning, and its grace that keeps saving and saving and helping us in our sufferings. And I’ll tell you one more thing that is even more amazing. God has given me grace-after-grace, day after day to help me reach the age of 75 in a wheelchair. That’s right; and I’m sure you’ve heard that today is my birthday. When I broke my neck, never did I think I would live this long in a wheelchair. When I got cancer twice, no way did I think I would ever reach the age of 75. And battling pneumonia as many times as I have, the idea of my lungs holding up this long, seemed impossible. And it’s why today in a very fresh way, I am celebrating God’s amazing gift of grace.
So, would you join me in simply praising God that he has brought me to this milestone? This morning when I sat up in my wheelchair, I spread my arms and said, “God, just look at you. Just look at this gift you have given. Strength and health enough to reach my 75th birthday. I bless you and I praise you for your grace that saves and sustains. What a birthday gift you have given me, dear Lord. And I say to you, Jesus, “The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
© Joni and Friends