Grieving That Your Children Could Lay Down Their Lives For The Nations

Jim Elliot, writing to his parents about his plans to go to South America and witness for Christ to native peoples there:

I do not wonder that you were saddened at the word of my going to South America. This is nothing else than what the Lord Jesus warned us of when He told the disciples that they must become so infatuated with the kingdom and following Him that all other allegiances must become as though they were not. And he never excluded the family tie. In fact, those loves which we regard as closest, He told us must become as hate in comparison with our desires to uphold His cause. Grieve not, then, if your sons seem to desert you, but rejoice, rather, seeing the will of God done gladly. Remember how the Psalmist described children? He said that they were as an heritage from the Lord, and that every man should be happy who had his quiver full of them. And what is a quiver full of but arrows? And what are arrows for but to shoot? So, with the strong arms of prayer, draw the bowstring back and let the arrows fly–all of them, straight at the Enemy’s hosts.

He was martyred 58 years ago today.

I was recently remarking to a friend about that fact that my children could grow up someday and actually take my preaching about the nations quite seriously.  When you think about it like that is sobers you up quite quickly.  May this quote be a refuge for me.

(HT:  JD)