Challenging words...

I know that I am supposed to be doing the Friday Top 10 List today, but last night I came across a quote that has me really thinking. I am reading an amazing book entitled "Through the Gates of Splendor" by Elisabeth Elliot. Many of you know the story of the 5 missionaries that were speared to death in Ecuador many years ago and may have even seen the movies "End of the Spear." This book is the story from Elisabeth Elliot, one of the widows of the men killed. Though her husband is Jim and we hear from their perspective a lot...the man who was in charge of writing their journals and story was the pilot Nate Saint.

I am to the place in the story when the 5 men are about to go into the deep jungle to put up a home among the Auca tribe who are known for their violence and brutality of white men. But, they feel so very called to share Jesus with these people who have never before heard.

This is Nate's final journal entry before they left the next day for the Auca territory, leaving their wives and children behind...knowing that this may be the last time they see their families since the Aucas had attacked other white men before with their lances (spears). This was his prayer and thoughts leading up to this moment...

"If God would grant us the vision, the word sacrifice would disappear from our lips and thoughts; we would hate the things that seem now so dear to us; our lives would suddenly be too short, we would despise time-robbing distractions and charge the enemy with all our energies in the name of Christ." Nate Saint

That has stopped me in my tracks. It has made me think and ponder. I can't get it out of my head! I am not camping out simply on man's words...but because I know that is the heart of Paul when he wrote this in Philippians 3:7-14:

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Pressing on Toward the Goal Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. "

Oh, may I grow every day to hate time-robbing distractions in my life. I pray that I will see my life as too short! That I won't ever get to happy or satisfied here on this earth...because it is NOT my home. But, more than that...there are people perishing every minute and entering eternal damnation called hell. It's real, it's forever, and people are dying every moment and going there. Lord, please help me to focus on eternity each day...and not get distracted my time-robbing ploys of the enemy.

In "What Jesus Demands from the World" by John Piper another quote stood out to me that I read last night...

"The entire life and work of Jesus is one great argument why we should listen to his word. Page after page of the New Testament Gospels pile up reasons to turn off the television and listen to Jesus!"

Think about this during your day today. Let eternity get into your head and change the way you enter every day. It is changing me today. I so desire to be one who is constantly investing in the work of God...like the servant with the 5 talents...may I not squander any minute of any day. I confess that I do squander my time. Lord, may I repent of this and begin to live each day focused on what God is focused on...His glory reaching every person!

If you are looking for a book to read that will change the way you view your life, missions, sacrifice, and death read "Through the Gates of Splendor". It has challenged me in so many ways...I know it will yours!