Learning to be content

Psalms 119:33-38 Just tell me what to do and I will do it Lord, as long as I live, I will wholeheartedly obey. Make me walk along the right paths for I know how delightful they really are. Help me to prefer obedience to making money! Turn me away from wanting any other plan than yours. Revive my heart toward you. Reassure me that your promises are for me for I trust and revere you.

Today, I was reading about the Martyrded Missionary Jim Elliott who felt called to serve God among the Auca Indians in Ecuador. His life span was only 29 years and yet his journals revealed that he was so content doing what he knew God's will for his life.
Jim Elliott wrote in a letter to his family, "Remember you are immortal until your work is done. But don't let the sands of time get into the eyes of your vision to reach those who still sit in darkness. They simply must hear."

Just before he left for the last time Elisabeth (his wife) asked Jim if they were attacked by the Aucas, would they use their guns? Jim's response was clear and certain: "We will not use our guns!" When Elisabeth asked why he simply said, "Because we are ready for heaven, but they are not."
On January 8, 1956, Jim Elliot, along with Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Peter Fleming and Nate Saint, wiated hopefully for another meeting with the Auca or Huaorani Indians, haveing had serveral friendly encounters in previous days. However a group of 10 Huaorani men attached the five missionaries and brutally murdered them. Jim Elliot's mutilated body was found downstream in the river. There was no funeral, no tombstone for a memorial. However, on resurrection day the glorified bodies of these champions for Jesus will rise from the dirt of Eucador! Jim left behind his wife Elisabeth and a baby girl. They had ony been married less than three years.

Now it's easy to understand why I have answered the call of God on my life to teach stewardship to the church. I work hard at it and I love every minute of it, but no one is threatening me, no one will probably do me harm just because I try to teach them about stewardship. I don't have to leave my family and I've got it pretty easy if I have to say so. But I have to ask myself, What does it take for a man to give all to Christ and give all to the message of Christ? What kind of committment did this man have that I don't have. IT's a committment of contentment with God and His infinate will for one's life. You see, I like my committment, but if you added danger or perhaps the possibility of loss of life or leaving family, would I be as happy about this call? In all honesty, probably not. That's why I admire Jim Elliot. One among many is his famous saying that I quote time and time again, but today, it's meaning is greater than ever before.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose"