The Love of God at Work

You may have heard of Jim Elliot, who went to Equador to take the Gospel to the Auca tribe. This tribe was described as one of the most dangerous tribes in the jungles of Equador. In fact the homicide rate of this tribe was like 60% - from tribal members killing their own tribal people.

Of course, if you know the story, you know that Jim Elliot and 4 other men were viciously killed by the Acua indians. Later, Jim's wife and others went back to this same tribe and brought them the gospel. Many of the tribal members became Christians.

One of the five men who was murdered that day in 1956 was Nate Saint. He was an ex US Airforce pilot who piloted the plane that brought Jim and the other men deep into the jungle to bring the story of Jesus Christ to these indians.

Nate's sister, Rachel, was one of the women who brought the Gospel to that tribe with Jim Elliot's wife (Eliszbeth Elliot). And in fact, she lived with the Acua tribe as a missionary until her death in 1994.

Steve Saint is the son of Nate Saint. Steve was 5 years old when his father was killed by the tribe. Yet, he went back to that tribal village on many occassions to visit his aunt and the tribe. He even grew to love the very men who had killed his father and the others.

I've been reading the new book by Steve Saint entitled "End of the Spear". The book was made into a movie, and the video should be out sometime in June of this year.

I've written all this to get to my point.

In the book, Steve talks about going back to that tribe and visiting. On one occassion, he and some others who had accepted Jesus Christ as their Saviour, felt it was time they were baptized.

They ended up being baptized in the same location (a beach area along the river where Jim Elliot and the 4 men had landed their airplane years earlier) in which his father had been killed by a spear.

The thing that was just so amazing to me was when I read in the book who the person was who was doing the baptizing.

Steve Saint was baptized by one of the same men who had killed his father, but was now a fellow Christian.

Just stop and think about that for a moment. The same person who had killed your father and 4 other men in cold blood was now your friend and was baptizing you?

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

It is only because of the amazing love of God and someone who's faith in God is total and complete that anyone could forgive and love in such a way.

Amazingly as this story illustrates, it is indeed truthfully an example of how we are to live. We are to love others and forgive no matter what they have done.

If you'll recall as Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross, dying for our sins and the sins of the world, he said; "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." He didn't point any fingers or say anything about what they had done or what they deserved. He simply said; "Forgive them!"

At the moment of his death on the cross, the Bible records for us in Mark 15:39 that one of the Roman soldiers said; "Truly this man was the Son of God."

The Bible doesn't tell us any more about that soldier. But if that soldier went on to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior, God forgave him of his sin just as He forgives us. Yes - one of the same men who had helped nail Jesus to the cross could receive forgiveness and salvation.

The Bible tells us that we are to be followers of Jesus Christ, we are to live using His life as an example!

We are to use His love for others, no matter what they have done, as a model to live our lives by.

Yes, it's an awesome task to consider. Yet at the same time - it's one of the key steps in finding and experiencing the Joy Unspeakable and the Peace that passes all understanding in our hearts and lives.

© 2006 - Joshua Goodling.
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About Joshua Goodling - At the age of four, Joshua was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given only one week to live. That was over 34 years ago, so it's been a long week. He is now an inspirational and motivational speaker, seeking to encourage and inspire others to make a difference in today's world. You can visit his website at http://www.joshuagoodling.com. He is also the founder of http://www.inspiritnews.com. You can contact him at [email protected]