Jim Elliot's heart was torn; he knew that God was calling him to Ecuador and he knew that God had placed Elizabeth on his heart. But for a time, a time that Jim did not know the length of, he would be single in his missionary journey to Ecuador.

 Jim wrote to Elizabeth before he left alone towards Ecuador;

"Let not our longing slay the appetite of our living!"

He refused to allow his longing for Elizabeth hinder the work God had for him in Ecuador.


I spent today working in the fields for my grandfather. I was alone and had my ipod with me. I listened to a podcast that I suggest everyone subscribe to, it is called "Let my People Think" from a ministry of Ravi Zachariahs. Ravi Zachariahs is a world respected Christian apologist.

One of the sermons I listened to today was Ravi speaking from 2 Kings 7. In particular this text:


Now there were four men who were lepers at the entrance to the gate. And they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘Let us enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die.”
(2 Kings 7:3-4 ESV)

The lepers eventually make it to the Syrians camp, and by the grace of God the camp is empty! God made the Syrians hear a loud army and scared them away leaving all of their food and possessions within the camp. The chapter goes on and reads:


And when these lepers came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent and ate and drank, and they carried off silver and gold and clothing and went and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent and carried off things from it and went and hid them.
Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household.”
(2 Kings 7:8-9 ESV)

Ravi Zachariahs' main point of the message was, "With nothing to loose and everything to give, why are you still sitting there!?"

These lepers knew that if they took no action they would die, and if they stayed with the people in the city they would die! How much is that like the way I lived before I was saved by grace.

When I became saved I was given the inheritance of life from my father in heaven. Certainly it is not right for me to keep this to myself. I should not spend my days longing for something that might not be, but spend my days living for the grace that is now!

LORD help me to recognize where you are working NOW and meet you there! Not wait for you to meet me here where I am. Help me to share your grace! I have nothing to loose and everything to give!

Amen