Sunday Evenings With JoniSample

When I was young, there was a song I loved to sing in church, based on the words of Hebrews 12. An odd choice for a child, perhaps—for the words were too difficult to understand and the melody was slow and solemn. There is no lightness in it, at least not the kind you’d expect for a children’s song. Words of heavy burden, sin all around us, and a strenuous race ahead.

Oh joy.

Yet the song held such an assurance for me. A feeling of home, goodness, and God nearby. I guess it resonated with my spirit, before I even knew I had one.

Today, fifty years later, whenever the song comes to mind, I sing it. Wholeheartedly. Feeling what my six-year-old self felt. Often, people ask me what I’ve learned from Joni, and I could write a million chapters about it. Or I could summarize it in one sentence:

Joni’s eyes are fixed on Jesus. Always.

My eyes wander—especially when life is difficult. Frantically, they look all over. Where is the way out? How can I fix this situation? God, why me?

I tend to look everywhere for answers to my questions.

But Joni’s eyes are fixed. I have seen it again and again—in good times and in challenging times. It’s not that she has no questions, but her gaze doesn’t wander. Steadfast, her eyes are locked with Jesus.

And that’s how she runs, in her wheelchair. She runs, with perseverance, the race marked out before her.

Fixing her eyes on Jesus.

It’s a beautiful thing to watch, because when I see Joni—and others—run the race like that, I add them to my list—my cloud of witnesses. And I throw off everything that hinders and learn to run too. With my eyes fixed on Jesus.

Reflection

1. Hebrews 11 speaks of Abraham, David, Jacob, Rahab, and many others, and their faith. They are the cloud of witnesses the author mentioned in Hebrews 12:1. Who in your life is in your cloud of witnesses?

2. To whom in your life do you want to be a witness? Write down their names and ask God if there are others. Then ask Him how He wants you to be a witness—it could be words, a shared meal, or the testimony of your life, or many other things. Ask Him; He knows.

Prayer

Dear Father, You know these people on my list, and You know me. Teach me to fix my eyes on Jesus. Lord, may I be a witness to others. In Jesus’ name, Amen