In 1949, Jim Elliot wrote, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot was killed in 1956 taking the gospel to an unreached tribe in Ecuador. He lived what he believed.
We are called to give all to Christ (Matt 22:27). We're told, "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). Paul urges us to "present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Rom 12:1-2). Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matt 16:24). It's a running theme ... give up self for Him. And still ... we balk. We hold back. We waver -- vacillate. Because, doggone it, do we really have to give up everything? I mean, look at this wonderful stuff!
On our behalf, Jesus gave up ... all (Php 2:5-8). God offers a clean slate (1 John 1:9) and the very righteousness of Christ (2 Cor 5:21), kindship with Him and eternity in His presence .. if you'll just believe, take up your cross, deny yourself, follow. What do you have that's worth more? What do you keep that you can't actually keep? Where is your treasure? We used to sing, "I surrender all." Do we?
2 comments:
I had heard that thought-provoking quote of Jim Elliot’s before (and it came up during my online search for quotes about “fools” back on April Fool’s Day, but it seemed too serious for me to include). Eliot (and his fellow missionaries) certainly did give up everything--losses painfully endured by even their widows and/or loved ones. However, these men lost only those things of a fleeting, earthly nature, while their eternal life commenced all the sooner for them (presuming each was truly saved). This exchange makes me think of Mark 8:36 and Matt. 16:26: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul?” I ask myself, “What do I possess (or seek to attain) that I would trade for my salvation?” Not a single thing…or the entirety of it all! In my heart of hearts, nothing is worth more than Christ my Savior. May I live with these priorities ruling my life!
I feel that "I surrender all" is a plea, not a statement of fact, because we are horrible at surrendering anything.
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