Von Karman vortices off the coast of Rishiri Island in Japan. by NASA
Good morning, beloved,
In my blog yesterday, I wrote, “as we wrap up gentleness”, and the Lord gently reminded me yesterday, all day, He will never be done refining me in this area of my life. Hear me, just because finish a week on a particular doesn’t mean He finishes. I want to tell you something. I know He works because He has people mention this subject in Sunday School, songs come up, one of my favorite Bloggers (that’s a word, right?) mentioned a quote from Elisabeth Elliot on the very subject, the Lord just keeps gently murmuring…don’t forget…don’t forget. And beloved, don’t you forget. Keep His Word in your mind and heart. As we ask for the Spirit to fill us with His fruit, so we may develop a hunger for Him, a hunger for His Word in greater depth, a hunger for righteousness..which is the next beatitude.
Matthew 5:6 Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
I have to say, for many years, my brain has connected with Elisabeth Elliot’s story. I remember reading her book Passion and Purity in college and I’m not sure when I first heard the entire story of her husband and the men with him in Ecuador. Yet, in the last five years, I inundated my poor family (remember Joshua’s comment if Cara thinks a little is good, more is better?) ahem. Well, they didn’t read or watch too much. Ahem. Well, okay, they did watch the End of the Spear, and Voice of the Martyr’s animated version of the story and we did read…okay..so you get the point. If it’s possible, I read more. I read all the books I could find, Jim Elliot’s journals, Elisbeth’s books, saw Roger Youderian‘s wife speak (had my kids sit in there..) why? why am i telling you all of this?
Maybe because I kinda feel bad that my kids have had to endure Mommy’s idiosyncrasies, or maybe because friends, I wanted to understand what would take five men away from their pregnant wives, beautiful children, etc and walk into an uncertain future? An uncertain future that led to their death? Okay, if you have no idea what I’m talking about here, then seriously, you must read or watch some of the amazing stuff available on this…
So, cycle back with me to the verse, Blessed and fortunate and happy and spiritually prosperous (in that state in which the born-again child of God enjoys His favor and salvation) are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God), for they shall be completely satisfied!
Righteousness: uprightness, right standing with God and the blb.org states: is “the character or quality of being right or just;” it was formerly spelled “rightwiseness,” which clearly expresses the meaning. It is used to denote an attribute of God, e.g., Rom 3:5, the context of which shows that “the righteousness of God” means essentially the same as His faithfulness, or truthfulness, that which is consistent with His own nature and promises; Rom 3:25, 26 speaks of His “righteousness” as exhibited in the Death of Christ, which is sufficient to show men that God is neither indifferent to sin nor regards it lightly. On the contrary, it demonstrates that quality of holiness in Him which must find expression in His condemnation of sin.
“Dikaiosune is found in the sayings of the Lord Jesus,
(a) of whatever is right or just in itself, whatever conforms to the revealed will of God, (Matthew 5:6)
So, in thinking through these men (and what I’ve read, please do not think me an expert), what I have come to understand, they hungered and thirsted for right standing with God..they had blessing, they saw the Aucas, this remote tribe without hope, without Jesus and knew that they must extend their trust in their loving God for their lives, their family’s lives and know that He would care for every need. Without hope, where would the Aucas be?
37 Now on the final and most important day of the Feast, Jesus stood, and He cried in a loud voice, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!
38 He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water.
39 But He was speaking here of the Spirit, Whom those who believed (trusted, had faith) in Him were afterward to receive. For the [Holy] Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (raised to honor).
Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming and Nate Saint had cleaved, trusted, and relied on Him. They had the flow o springs and rivers of living water and I want to tell you something. As you fall more in love with the Jesus of the Word of Life, you can’t help but want to share this truth! They were ready to face their Savior but they knew the Aucas could not.
“GO YE AND PREACH THE GOSPEL”
DEDICATED TO THE GLORY OF GOD AND IN
LOVING MEMORY OF EDWARD McCULLY, PRESIDENT
OF THE CLASS OF 1949, AND JAMES ELLIOT ’49,
LIKEWISE AN OUTSTANDING ATHLETE AND LEADER.
BECAUSE OF THE GREAT COMMISSION, ED AND
JIM, TOGETHER WITH NATHANAEL SAINT EX ’48,
ROGER YOUDERIAN AND PETER FLEMING WENT
TO THE MISSION FIELD WILLING FOR
“ANYTHING–ANYWHERE REGARDLESS OF COST.”
THEY CHOSE THE JUNGLES OF ECUADOR –
INHABITED BY THE AUCA INDIANS. FOR
GENERATIONS ALL STRANGERS WERE KILLED BY
THESE SAVAGE INDIANS. AFTER MANY DAYS OF
PATIENT PREPARATION AND DEVOUT PRAYER,
THE MISSIONARIES MADE THE FIRST FRIENDLY
CONTACT KNOWN TO HISTORY WITH THE AUCAS.
ON JANUARY 8, 1956, THE FIVE MISSIONARIES WERE
BRUTALLY SLAIN – – MARTYRS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD.
ERECTED BY THE CLASS OF 1949
JANUARY 8, 1957
“FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONSTRAINETH US”
II COR 5:14
Do you crave, hunger for a right standing with God? Do I? Oh, my…
Ready or Not? Ask Him, Lord, can I be a light for you today to every boy and girl? It’s what it’s all about friends. God wants us to take our lights. Share from our wealth. I’ve got the books. What do you have? Can you cook? Can you sew? Can you, what? What gifts have God poured out beautifully on you? Don’t hide ’em in a box. Pour ’em out. Take ’em all over the world. Ready or not? Here we come world.
Pray on, beloved. Let’s go!
Related articles
- the Grace that outruns the foe (sunlightandrainbows.wordpress.com)
- Message of the Beatitudes – Four – Hunger and Thirst (pastorswifelife.com)
- Why Read The Bible – Day 28 of 32-Listening Without Obedience (christlikeministriesnwa.wordpress.com)
- Loneliness As An Offering to God (singleparentingredeemed.wordpress.com)
- Handpicked by Love (specialkkluthe.wordpress.com)
- Sowing in Tears (lettersinlonghand.wordpress.com)
- The Righteousness that Comes from God and is by Faith (christcenteredteaching.wordpress.com)
- Empty Hands . . . Fill Me, Lord! (inlovewiththelord.wordpress.com)
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