Prove Satan wrong by simply just trusting the Lord through tough times. This is a high honor.
SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope. So often I’d hear Joni sing “I’d rather have Jesus.”
(Joni sings:)
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold
I’d rather be His than have riches untold
I’d rather have Jesus then houses or land
I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
Than to be the king of a vast domain
Or be held in sins dread sway
I’d rather have Jesus than anything
This world affords today.
JONI: You know, every day you and I make that choice. Every day we can choose either the world, the flesh and the devil, or we can choose Jesus. Which would you rather have? Well, if you’re like me, you may not always get it right, but my heart’s desire—and I hope your desire, too—is to always choose Jesus, because I do not want the devil to have his way in my life. I don’t want him to score points when it comes to the choices I make. I love my Savior too much for that.
For instance, when God points to Job as a man who loves and follows him, Satan picks right up on that and he scoffs at God. He says, “Oh, come on, why shouldn’t Job trust you? You always protect him; you’re always prospering him. But God, you take away his wealth, and you’ll see him curse you!” Man, those words struck me after my accident, when I was getting serious about the Lordship of Christ in my life. With my paralysis, I knew that the cosmic stakes were so high. And I didn’t want to shame God or stain his reputation by grumbling or complaining. I had made God look bad enough when I was back in the hospital, full of anger and resentment. A year or two had passed, and I knew that God was my only hope. And I wanted to do everything I could to make God look good. And so, when, while reading the book of Job, I heard that taunt from Satan, I tell you what, “them was” fightin’ words. That insult from the devil motivated me to remain confident in God and his purposes for my life, even if I couldn’t understand all those purposes. Satan’s insolent words made me want to trust God all the more.
And you know what, friend? That’s a very good reason to obey God, because your obedience shuts the mouth of Satan. He is constantly going before God and saying, “You see that girl? You see that man down there? They don’t really trust you; they’re just into Jesus because their friends are. To them, Jesus is just fire insurance. Oh God, but you test them, and I’ll tell you what, then you’ll see their true colors.”
Oh, friend don’t let Satan get away with that. Let those devilish taunts motivate you to trust God all the more, even if you don’t understand his ways. God’s reputation is at stake. So, would you rather have Jesus? I believe you would. When the devil insists God’s people only serve him when things are easy, you’ve got the high honor to prove Satan wrong, simply by trusting the Lord through hard times.
© Joni and Friends