Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope

Shauna: This is Shauna on Johnny Erikson Tada, Sharing Hope. Well, welcome to another edition of Sharing Hope where Johnny is happy to answer questions that you've submitted. And this question was posted on social media. This person writes, Johnny, God is asking a lot for you to be whole in your mind and spirit when you're not whole in your body, but it's all connected. How do you do it?

Joni Eareckson Tada: Oh boy, now this is a fascinating question. And this person is correct. My body is anything but whole. It's broken. Most of it doesn't work and I can't feel in my arms or legs. So without a healthy and completely whole body, is God asking too much that I strive to be whole in my spirit and in my mind? I don't think he's asking too much at all. Just listen to 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 23. It says, quote, may God himself sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now from that, I see that God himself is working to make whole my spirit, my soul, and my body. Nothing about me is left untouched by God. My inner life, my emotions, my will and intellect, and my physical body are all destined for redemption. And to the point of today's question, the more broken my body is, the more I have to cast myself on the Lord. And that conforms my soul and my spirit to be like Jesus. So my broken body is actually helping to sanctify my soul and my spirit. True, my body as paralyzed as it is has a lot of catching up to do, but I've got the promise of 1 Corinthians 15 that one day my body will be completely whole, new and glorified.

So I don't think God is asking a lot of me. God wants every part of me, my spirit, soul, and my body to be whole at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm excited just talking about that glorious day.

Shauna: And Johnny, let me add, God never asks too much of us. In fact, it's impossible for God to ask too much of us because 1 Corinthians chapter 6 says that we are not our own.

Joni Eareckson Tada: That's right.

Shauna: We were bought at a price, a big price. And therefore we're to honor God with our bodies, right Johnny?

Joni Eareckson Tada: Absolutely Shauna, and thanks for citing that verse. I think that fact alone would put to rest all of our questions as to whether or not God is being fair in a seemingly unfair situation. I have to tell myself all the time, Johnny, you're not your own. You've been purchased, body, soul, and spirit by the blood of Jesus Christ. And as you said Shauna, that is an infinitely big price.

Shauna: Sure is.

Joni Eareckson Tada: So we honor God especially with our bodies, no matter how broken they are. And the quicker we learn that, the quicker we will experience the sanctifying, purifying work of God in our lives. And that is our goal, isn't it?

Shauna: Yeah.

Joni Eareckson Tada: I want us all to put off the old self which belongs to the way we used to live. And instead let's put on the new self. Put on patience, perseverance, kindness, and compassion, all of it virtues given by God. That's from Ephesians chapter 4. And every day I need to do that in my broken body.

Shauna: That's right. Put off the old and put on the new. Oh Johnny, thank you for those great reflections. And if any of our listeners want to hear this again, you just have to visit johnnyradio.org. The full transcript of today's special edition is available right there for you. Again, that's johnnyradio.org and thanks for listening.