Sacrificial Impact

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

On New Year's Day in 1956, five missionaries - Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming - left to visit the Auca Indians of Ecuador. Four days later, at 12:30 p.m. Nate radioed his wife saying that he had seen some Auca men walking toward their beach. "Pray for us," he said. "This is the day. Will contact you at 4:30."

Well, 4:30 p.m. came. Nothing. Sundown. Still no word. A search began and a week later four bodies were found. The fifth one had been washed away.

Truly, these five men had lived for Christ, but where, you ask, is the gain? By the end of 1958, Jim Elliott's wife, Elizabeth, and Rachel Saint, Nate's sister, were living among the Aucas. The five men who murdered the missionaries had become Christians and spiritual leaders among their people. Nine years later, two of those men baptized two of Nate Saint's children.

Would you be willing to die for Christ? More important, are you willing to live for Him in a way that impacts the lives of others? You do - when you sacrificially and lovingly serve others around you and pray for them. You do when you pray for our nation and our leaders, asking God that they will turn from sin to a life of freedom in Him.

Pray for our nations leaders today, asking God's blessing, guidance and direction in their lives. Also ask that God break through the spiritual barriers some leaders put up against Him and His people, so that they will submit to God and follow His ways. Also pray for your neighbors and those throughout your community that they too might know Christ; maybe even because of your willingness to reach out to them and serve them.

1 Timothy 2:1-6, ¹I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— ²for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time.

God Bless and have a great day!
Roger

Adapted from a devotional from ~ The Presidential Prayer Team™