One of my favorite authors is Elizabeth Elliot. I so admire her life’s story; it is one of complete dedication to God and being ever faithful to Him, despite great heartache. If you are familiar, you remember that she prayed to serve on a foreign mission field while still in college. She met Jim Elliot, who also had a desire to serve abroad. In time, they married and went to tell the Auca Indians in eastern Ecuador of the Amazon about Christ, along with four other missionary families.
These families all felt God’s leading; they studied the language and endeavored to make communication with the natives. They made headway and were encouraged by sporadic positive interactions to tell the people about Jesus Christ. However, one particular tribe was still unreached. On January 8th in 1956, the five missionary men excitedly headed to the Curaray River to hopefully befriend some of the Waodani members. But these natives, who had never seen a white man, and who were afraid for their own safety, misinterpreted the men’s friendly attempt to make contact and instead, speared each one to death in a fit of rage and adrenalin. Jim Elliot was among the five who died.
Elizabeth and her three year old daughter, Valerie, stayed and lived in the Amazon and continued to study and teach the very tribe who had killed her husband. Her story is one of amazement – living with and like the native people, eating their food, enjoying precious few conveniences or luxury of any kind. Years later, the Waodani tribe came to know Christ. The Lord works in mysterious ways. There is a movie “The End of the Spear” that tells this story and also a book, Through the Gates of Splendor telling a much more detailed narration of this epic.
Elizabeth Elliot continued her ministry years later in the United States as a prolific writer and radio teacher. Her life speaks volumes on how a dedicated Christian life, sold out for His honor and glory and not counting the cost, can be used by God. She died on June 15, 2015.
Elizabeth Elliot is remembered for many very poignant quotations:
“When ours are interrupted, His are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) “toward the goal of true maturity”.
“Leave it all in the hands that were wounded for you”.
“One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is life long can only be surrendered in a lifetime”.
“And if not, He is still good”.
“God never denies us our heart’s desire except to give us something better”.
“A quiet heart is content with what God gives. It is enough. All is grace”.
“Sometimes fear does not subside and one must choose to do it afraid”.
“God has promised to supply all our needs. What we don’t have now, we don’t need now”.
“Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, your stronghold, your shepherd, your counselor, your friend, your redeemer, your saviour, your guide? If He is, you don’t need to search any further for security”.
“When you don’t know what to do, just do the next thing”.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose”. Jim Elliot
As I reflect on the lives of these precious missionaries, I realize that my life is just as precious to our God as was theirs. My life is different, but no less valuable to God. They gave their all, as some are called to do. In my mind, their sacrifice of life and convenience was almost more than anyone should endure. Yet, would the Waodani people know Christ today, had not these men died, and their surviving widows showed Christ to them, even in their grief? Maybe not. Is my life making a difference for the kingdom of God? I pray that it is.
Charles Spurgeon said, “Everything that happens to you is for your own good. If the waves roll against you, it only speeds your ship toward the port. If lightening and thunder comes, it clears the atmosphere and promotes your soul’s health. You gain by loss, you grow healthy in sickness, you live by dying, and you are made rich in losses. Romans 8:28 means it is better that all things should work for my good than all things should be as I would wish to have them. All things might work for my pleasure and yet might all work my ruin. If all things do not always please me, they will always benefit me”. This is the best promise of this life.
Take time today to thank God for this sweet promise as you live in compliance to His will.
This speaks to my heart today. Elizabeth Elliot has been a inspiration to me over the years. Even though her husband was Murdered she stayed among the people and taught them of the Lord. I don’t know that I could have done that.
Thank you for sharing this.
I’ve thought the same thing but God gives us strength when we need it. Yes, I have several of her books – so inspiring and encouraging for righteous living. Thanks, Nancy!
Pam, I loved reading the quotations you included. Very thought provoking and convicting as well! Truly an amazing woman of God!
Yes, she was a strong godly, and amaxing woman@
This is such a touching and thoughtful reading – I refer to these readings at different times and realized I forgot to leave a message. I find these very comforting to refer back to them quite often.