Advice For Anders

By Joni and Friends|Published On: April 30, 2019|Categories: 4-Minute Radio Program|

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and I get the most interesting emails.

Like this one from Denmark. It’s my 44-year-old quadriplegic friend named Anders who became injured back in 1996. He wrote to tell me that the Lord had given him a special word – that the Lord is soon coming back, and right before that happens, the Lord told him there would be this glorious movement all over the earth and it would start in the country of Denmark. The revival, Anders said in his email, will be marked by miraculous healings, and then he added, “and Joni, I believe this revival will begin with my own healing. And then, yours too” (I smiled when I read that part). Anders then concluded that he struggles with great pain, but he closed off, saying, “Joni, our dungeon days will soon be over!”

Now… I wouldn’t exactly label my days that I’ve spent in my wheelchair as dungeon days, but, you know, my heart kinda resonated where Anders is coming from. What one of us doesn’t want the Lord to return soon? Especially those of us who have suffered loss, right? But it seems that Anders is really, really banking on the fact that Jesus is coming really, really soon. Like, for him, it’s his whole focus right now. Well, I wrote him back and, yes, I shared with him my enthusiasm for the return of Christ. But then I added a few more things. I emailed Anders and I said… “Anders, in the meantime, God has given us much work to do: prayers to offer up… people with whom to share the Gospel… hurting individuals to comfort… the church to strengthen… sin to confront… hope to give doubting people… missionaries to support… neighbors to reach for Christ, and on and on. Friend, (like I said to Anders), I DO long for Christ’s appearing. Second Timothy chapter 4, verse 8 says there is a special blessing reserved for those who long for Christ’s appearing. And I want that blessing. In Philippians chapter 3 it talks about eagerly awaiting the Savior from heaven (not just waiting, but God wants us to be eager in waiting, and I’m eager). But the Lord also wants us to be eager and longing for something else more important right now. And God makes this longing very clear in 2nd Peter chapter 3 verse 9. Because it says Jesus is not slow in coming back, as the verse says. No, he’s only delaying because he longs for many more people to come to repentance and believe on him. Oh sure, we long for His return, but He longs for more people to come to a saving knowledge. Now, when the date of His return is, no one knows; but I’m with John chapter 9 verse 4… I think the time is short.

So until that marvelous day when I can jump up out of my wheelchair, my focus is in finding ways – creative ways – to tell people about Christ, to point ‘em to Jesus. Every day, I’m about the work of reclaiming earth’s territory (which the devil would sure like to think is his)…I’m reclaiming it for Christ. And I told Anders the same. I invited him to join me in making the most of every opportunity to fulfill the longing of Jesus – it’s a longing that is written all over the pages of the Bible, God longs that many more people might come to a saving knowledge of Christ. It is the biggest reason why the Lord has delayed His second coming. And how did I close my email to this disabled man in Denmark? Well, I simply said, “Thank you, Anders, for sharing your enthusiasm for that wonderful (capital “D”) Day when (as it says in Isaiah) the lame shall leap like deer.” “That’s you,” I told him. And Lord willing, it’s also a whole lot of other lame people that you and I need to go out and reach for Jesus before the end comes. The time is short, friend, so let’s get to work. Let me hear from you today on my Facebook page or you can always post a comment on my blog and joniandfriends.org.