Keeping one foot in eternity...
"Keep one foot in eternity" I read these words in a book recently and have spent the last two months wondering what it really means to me. In all honesty I can't think of a single statement I have read that has ever caused me more deliberations of the mind. It's like a catchy song that once heard just keeps playing over and over in your mind...really whether you want it to or not. This rambling blog is where I am drawing some of my conclusions on "keeping one foot in eternity".
I have given much thought to people -EXAMPLES - of some who I feel (beyond a shadow of a doubt) kept one foot in eternity. I could not begin to exhaust the great examples that are out there, but here are just two:
" No retreat, No reserve, No regrets"
"William Borden (pictured above), heir to the Borden family fortune, graduated from high school in 1904 and was given a trip around the world as a gift from his parents. His travels developed in him a burden for all the world's hurting people. He wrote a letter home about his desire for missionary work. His expressed desire was met with feelings of disbelief from one of his friends that he would "throw himself away as a missionary". Not to be stopped, William spent his college years at Yale not only studying, but developing Bible study groups, and creating mentoring programs for those found to be less than easy to work with on campus. He always claimed the biggest rascals for himself to mentor. He also started the Yale Outreach Mission and could often be found in the heart of the city at night ministering to and feeding those whose lives were wrecked by sin and hopelessness. His personal journal at college said this: "Say 'no' to self and say 'yes' to Jesus every time".
Upon graduation, Borden announced his call to the Muslim Kansu people of China and he never wavered from that. Although he was a millionaire he realized that his life was to be about His Father's business. On his way to India he stopped in Egypt to study Arabic in order to effectively minister to the Muslim Kantou in India. There he contracted spinal meningitis and within a month, 25 year old William Borden was dead. Written in the leaf of his bible were these words: "No retreat, No reserve, No regret". You see, William Borden had always, I believe, kept one foot in eternity.
"He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose"
In January of 1956, five missionary men left their homes, wives, and children to embark on a mission to reach the cannibalistic tribe of the Auca Indians with the gospel of Christ. No one had ever attempted such a mission before as any man known to make contact would die at the hands of the spearing warriors. After much prayer, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully, and Pete Fleming felt it was time to set out to do what God had called them for back in their college days. After making initial contact through the use of their airplane (pictured above) dropping gifts down to the tribe, they found a beachhead on which to land the small craft and built a treehouse there to make contact with the tribe. Initial meetings with three members of the Auca tribe left them encouraged that after several days of interacting with them, they would have an opportunity to meet with a bigger group and begin the process of sharing the love of Christ with them in understandable terms. On January 8, 1956 pilot Nate Saint radioed this message back to home: " "We are hoping for visitors at about 2:30. I will call you again at 4:35". At 4:35 that call never came and any attempts to reach the five men by radio were met with silence. A rescue team sent in discovered the bodies of all five men speared on the beach and the plane completely stripped. When Nate Saint's pierced body was pulled from the river, the time on his watch read 3:12. Though the world was shocked, the men were only doing what God had called them to do. In Jim Elliot's college journals (entry pictured above) these words were penned, "He is no fool to give up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose". These five men all knew what it meant to "keep one foot in eternity".span>
These examples of "eternity walkers" are awesome, beyond inspirational, motivational, incredible....and yet just ordinary people like you and me. Just knowing these stories and walking away from my OWN responsibility in "eternity walking" would be a travesty though. So here are some ways I can "keep one foot in eternity":
1. Give, give, then give some more - Truth is, we can never outgive the Lord. If you haven't learned yet, missions doesn't cost, it saves!
2. Wear out some shoe leather - Never underestimate the power of prayer...but then get out there and tell someone about the Christ who loved them so much that He laid down His very life for them. What really is going to happen to you if you share the gospel? The worst thing ( and probably the most unlikely thing) is death and then Who do you go to be with? (Is your foot getting any closer to eternity right now?)
3. Look for your burning bush today - Where has Christ shown up and tugged at your heart today? I often find my "holy ground" in the deepest slums of Jamaica with the most forgotten people in our culture. Look for God in the face of someone needy and then meet that need in Jesus name. A stick of deodorant and a tube of toothpaste can convey the love of Christ through you.
4. Lose yourself - That's right, lose yourself. I read so many comments on fb and other social networks that all point to selfishness of our own desires.(and yes, I am guilty of this) Are you really a broken and emptied vessel, fit for the Master's use? Are you "eternity walkin' ' or just simply existing?
I hope I have at least spurred your thoughts. We are all in this together ....let's pull together and put a myriad of feet into eternity today for the glory of the Lord.
Psalm 40:8
"I delight to do Thy will O God"
These are just the ramblings of one tired Jamerican....SELAH!
This is by no means exhaustive on this subject. My own parents left such a legacy for me and were themselves eternity walkers. Read my dad's poem posted on this site titled "Content". If you want to enjoy a movie that will inspire you and your children, get your hands on "Beyond the Gates of Splendor" that relates "the rest of the story" of the mission venture to the Auca Indians. Our God is good all the time!
Tammy:
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing it.
Lynda Parlett
I just received your missionary letter and that has led me to this post. It was awesome and I anxiously await more of the same.
ReplyDeleteI am encouraged by your points on how to keep one foot in eternity and it has nudged me to put them into practice.
Dianne