“….we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith” (1 Thes. 1:11 NIV).
"God, I pray thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus" this quote was from a journal entry Jim Elliot wrote in college.* Jim Elliot was a missionary in Ecuador in the ‘50’s. He and his friends were trying to make contact with a very violent tribe called the Auca. During this time, Jim and his wife had many struggles in their mission field. He had a fever for a whole month, their first home was a thatched hut full of cockroaches, and there was rain from December to April which caused the new buildings to be washed away. In spite of these setbacks, Jim kept working for the Lord and in the end sacrificed his life as a martyr so that the Auca Indians may know God’s peace instead of the hatred and murder that their tribe had been trapped in. God had not forsaken them at their death, or their cause. When they died the Auca Indians saw angels above the treetops and heard music. It is because of this that the missionaries’ wives were able to bring Christ and His saving grace to a very violent tribe.
God has called each one of you in a special way, and you must be worthy of that calling. Your motto should be like Jim’s; you should feel the burning of His will searing your soul to do whatever He has called you to do. According to the above verse His power is available to you to fulfill every good purpose you have. You are not asked to do this on you own. God is calling you to do something big for him where you are. You must be strong and brave and step out with complete faith to do it. You are called, now you must be the one to make a difference in someone’s life.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for calling me to serve you. I know with your power to help me, I can do all things. There are those who need me to show them about your love and grace. Help me not to be afraid of the unknown, but to trust that you will work in people’s hearts so that they will hear my words of truth and will be set free from sin.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
*The quote is taken from Jim Elliot's journal which was found in the following book : Kathleen White, Jim Elliot, Men of Faith Series. Bethany House Publishers 1990.
