Put On Hold

            If you call Joni and Friends and are put on hold, you'll be surprised. 

            Hi, I'm Joni Eareckson Tada and it happened to me yesterday, it did.  I was back home at my house and I had to call our office (the Joni and Friends International Disability Center) for something, but my secretary was busy.  And so, Jackie, the receptionist, she was manning the desk that morning, put me on hold. And at that point, while waiting for my secretary, I heard a very familiar voice.  Oh my goodness.  It was mine!  I had forgotten that our office plays the one-minute version of "Joni and Friends" radio programs whenever a caller is placed on hold.

            Well, I didn't have anything else better to do, but... listen to myself talk.  It felt a little funny at first, but as I leaned my head on the receiver and waited, oh, was I thankful.  Because the program I was listening to was all about Romans 8:28 and how God works out everything in conformity with His plans.  Now I've heard that verse a hundred times, but as I listened to myself repeat it, I was reminded afresh of just why God works all things together - it's to make us more like Jesus Christ.  And yesterday morning, God knew I needed a refresher course. 

            Because I'll admit it, sometimes I'm so stubborn when bad or really disappointing things happen - still, after all these years, still I need to be reminded time and again that, yes, Joni, the recent disappointment that happened yesterday morning is all to make you more like Jesus... that you be more patient, more trusting and accepting of God's will, that you be more gentle in your response toward others.  Yep, as I waited for Jackie the receptionist to come back on the line, I found myself nodding and agreeing, uh huh, uh huh, that's right... thank you, Lord, you're right and I'm wrong and I needed to be reminded of this.  It was exactly what I needed to hear and by the time my call went through to my secretary, I felt so much better. 

            Friend, God knows we all - even those of us who have known Christ for many years - we all need to keep rehearsing the basics, we need to remind ourselves of the fundamentals of the faith.  Because the Bible is constantly telling us to do that.  Jude in the New Testament writes in verses 3-5, he says to his fellow believers, "I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith...  Though you already know this, I want to remind you...".  And elsewhere the apostle Paul, and even Peter... they repeat things that believers already know.  And frankly I've often thought that the reason the Spirit of God inspired Matthew, Mark, Luke and John to repeat things that Jesus had said is because, well... God knows how forgetful we are!  The Lord knows we need to be reminded of things our hearts too easily forget.

            True, you may be a seasoned disciple of Jesus.  You may even lead Bible Study Fellowship classes in your community.  You may even be a discussion leader for your small group.  Or you may be studying on your own and moving onto things that are deep and more meaty in the Bible.  Well... not so fast.  Because these few short minutes we're sharing together today may be God's way of reminding you that God is working all things together to make you more like Jesus... or maybe he's reminding you not to be surprised over a recent disappointment... or humbling you with the basics of trusting and obeying.  Oh and by the way, if today you happen to have a reason to call our Joni and Friends International Disability Center here in Agoura, California, and if Jackie puts you on hold, what you hear could be all the reminder that you need.  Until next time, this is Joni Eareckson Tada for Joni and Friends.

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