Where the Lines Are Drawn
Right now I am reading "The Peacemaker" by Ken Sande. In it, he briefly touches on the story of Jim and Elizabeth Elliott. They were missionaries in South America specifically reaching out to the Auca tribe. In 1956 Jim and four other missionaries were brutally murdered by the Aucas. Though devastated Elizabeth responded:
"To the world at large this was a sad waste of five young lives... The prayers of the widows are for the Aucas."
And they did more than pray. The widows continued the work of their husbands and within three years of the killings, changes were evident. Even some of the men who had killed the missionaries came to know Christ. Mrs. Elliott has said many things that would simply blow you away, but the statement by which I was most impacted was:
"...Cause and effect are in God's hands. Is it not the part of faith simply to let them rest there? God is God. I dethrone him in my heart if I demand that he act in ways that satisfy my idea of justice.... The one who laid the earth's foundations and settled its dimensions knows where the lines are drawn."
In light of something like her testimony, it seems almost silly for me to suggest I understand the will of God beyond his desire for reconcilliation. All the details are his to understand and mine to accept and use as the precipitate in the solution of life on this planet.
God is God and I am not. I can only see a part of the picture He's painting. God is God and I am man and I'll never understand it all for only God is God.
And that's enough.
"To the world at large this was a sad waste of five young lives... The prayers of the widows are for the Aucas."
And they did more than pray. The widows continued the work of their husbands and within three years of the killings, changes were evident. Even some of the men who had killed the missionaries came to know Christ. Mrs. Elliott has said many things that would simply blow you away, but the statement by which I was most impacted was:
"...Cause and effect are in God's hands. Is it not the part of faith simply to let them rest there? God is God. I dethrone him in my heart if I demand that he act in ways that satisfy my idea of justice.... The one who laid the earth's foundations and settled its dimensions knows where the lines are drawn."
In light of something like her testimony, it seems almost silly for me to suggest I understand the will of God beyond his desire for reconcilliation. All the details are his to understand and mine to accept and use as the precipitate in the solution of life on this planet.
God is God and I am not. I can only see a part of the picture He's painting. God is God and I am man and I'll never understand it all for only God is God.
And that's enough.
2 Comments:
"It's NOT about me, as if You should do things my way. For You alone are God and I surrender to Your ways."
Give me a V
Give me an A
Give me an L
What's it spell??
One smart dude. Great entry, bro!
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