You are Commissioned

Hi, this is Joni, and listen to this beautiful old hymn – a favorite of mine. 

 All my life long I had panted 
 For a drink from some clear spring, 
That I hoped would quench the burning 
Of the thirst I felt within. 
 Hallelujah! I have found him 
Whom my soul so long has craved! 
Jesus satisfies my longings, 
Through his blood I now am saved.  

Oh, thanks for letting me share that old hymn. It is old, isn’t it? You don’t hear it very often. And look, I don’t pretend to be a great singer. Amy Grant I’m not. I may not hit the high notes square on, but I think I do okay with what I’ve got. 

You know, I learned a lesson early on in my “career” as a quadriplegic: work with what you’ve got – whether it’s singing or whatever. I learned that from my occupational therapist who taught me how to do as much as I could do with what little I had left. She showed me how to use muscles in a whole new way to make up for ones that were no longer there, and they were all useless. The good nerves in the upper part of my deltoids help me get a lot of work done that would otherwise be the responsibility of my biceps or my triceps. 

My God has been in the “occupational therapy” business for a long, long time. He has often come to weak people without vision and worked with what they had. Whether it was the rod that Moses used, or the jaw bone that Samson used, or the sling that shepherd-kid David used, God simply took what was made available and showed his people what was possible.  

And to underscore the possibilities and the potential, God tells us who is in charge. In Judges 6 this is what he says to Gideon; he says: “The Lord turned to [Gideon] and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?’” There you have it. To simple and weak people like Gideon who lacked any vision, he simply says, “I am sending you.” And that was it. And that was all they needed to hear: the guarantee of God commissioning them. For Gideon, the guarantee would take him to victory. The fact that he was sending Gideon – that was enough; it was sufficient to start and complete the task. No matter how weak or limited God’s people are, no matter what little they have to offer, the Lord works wonders with what he’s been given.  

God is always sending forth his people. And friend, I tell you what, he is commissioning you today with his Word. If you have any doubts about that, consider Jesus’ words in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” There you got it. Don’t feel like you haven’t been commissioned to do anything in Christ’s kingdom. The fact is, you have been commissioned, right there in John 20. Jesus simply seeks willing disciples who will yield whatever resources they have to carry out his purposes.  

So, what have you got, friend? Well, make the list and show him. Is it a short list? Well, no matter, take it and apply it to the needs and people around you. And God will take care of the rest. He is an expert in enabling you to do as much as you can with what little you’ve got – simply because he sends you. And he sends you today. This is Joni Eareckson Tada, and I want to thank you for joining me today on Joni and Friends. Remember, today, he is sending you. 

© Joni and Friends