Potential for Fear

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Margaret

Elisabeth Elliot (to whom I referred yesterday) is one of those rare people who has been committed to Christ from a very young age without wavering. That’s not to say she hasn’t struggled with why God does what he does.

Her widowhood arrived only 3 years into her marriage to missionary Jim Elliot, a man so committed to sharing Christ’s love he told Elizabeth (Betty) he had decided never to marry. In God’s economy, wives trumped careers, and Jim didn’t want to slight either one.

But after years of friendship with Betty, he realized that her longing to serve God was as deep as his, and so they married, eager for a lifetime of ministry together. Though it seemed God’s plans had gone awry when Jim was murdered along with 4 fellow laborers, Betty accepted it as his will for her and their 10 month old daughter Valerie.

She then did something her friends thought was incongruous, even unconscionable. She packed up her little girl and headed for the same tribal group that killed her husband, intent on continuing the work he’d barely begun. Her astounding story has been told in books (Through Gates of Splendor, The Savage My Kinsman), magazines (LIFE, Readers Digest), and a feature film (End of the Spear).

As Betty trudged on foot through the snake-infested jungles of Ecuador to see not only the place where her husband died but to meet the men who killed him, surely she was frightened. I would have been terrified. But she testified to knowing no fear. She took two reassuring tools with her: a rock-solid belief in the sovereignty of God, and her camera.

Whatever happened, she believed, would only occur if God allowed it. Though she didn’t understand why Jim had to die, she didn’t sign off on her faith. Instead she submitted further, trusting God not just with her own life but with that of her toddler.

Fifty-eight years later we begin to understand a bit better as we see this once-violent tribe of savages committed to Christ and living in love relationships. Betty and the others who refused to let fear keep them away were ultimately successful in bringing God’s light into a dark culture.

The devil delights in torturing us with fear, whether it’s to debilitate a new widow facing the unknown, or to dangle failure in front of someone trying a new venture, or to fight seemingly unbeatable cancer as my sister is. But God steps forward and says, “That fear is not of Me. Don’t buy into it. Keep trusting me with abandon.”

From Betty’s youthful perspective, her husband’s death was unnecessary, and for years she bore the heavy burden of trying to understand God’s behavior. When she finally figured out she wasn’t responsible for it, the load fell off and she was free to rest in God’s peace.

Her example should encourage us all to take him at his word and move forward without fear. Only in heaven will we finally understand why God did what he did on earth.

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

Thank you for continuing in prayer for Mary. Additional requests on tomorrow’s blog.

Are you willing?

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Margaret

Recently a small group of Mary’s friends gathered with her for prayer. The first lady to pray said something that impacted me: “Lord, you know that Mary has always said yes to you, so…”

I don’t recall what came after the “so” because my mind got stuck on what came before it. The yes-to-God part. Though I’d never thought of Mary’s obedience quite like that, it was true.

Some months ago I wrote a blog about our mom being quick to say yes to us and every other kid she knew, wanting to make life fun and happy. But today I thought of Mary saying yes to God as having taken it one step further.

The results of her nod to God’s requests have been many: attending endless committee meetings, struggling through speaking gigs, participating in panel discussions, mentoring young moms, entertaining hundreds of guests, loaning out her car, keeping company overnight, teaching Bible studies, tutoring inner-city children, having the neighborhood’s “funnest” home, and much more.

Saying yes to God dictates saying no to lots of other things, monitoring every commitment with eternity’s values in view. But Mary has done that for decades, and the most impressive part is that she didn’t waver when God asked her to say yes to cancer.

We may think she didn’t have an option, since cancer came without her knowledge. A yes-or-no decision wasn’t required. But in response to learning about it, she could have lashed out in anger against God, or been consumed with self-pity, or become jealous of others who don’t have cancer, or said “Why me?” Instead she’s handled her diagnosis with grace, managing her fears and doubts by leaning harder into Scripture’s promises and working to take them at face value.

My many blog posts about Mary might be thought of as adding pressure to her already high-pressure health situation. But because it’s Mary, I know it won’t. Long ago she willingly took on the role of being a good example; and it began way back… the minute she got me as a younger sister.

My greatest hope is that I’ll be looking up to her example of saying yes to God for many years to come.

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10)

Mary’s prayer requests:

That in the next 11 days before surgery her body will absorb food better so she can gain the weight she lost
For assurance from God daily that he is close to her and caring for her
That she will be cautiously optimistic and simultaneously realistic in her expectations

When Love Comes Easy

Posted on March 5, 2014 by Margaret

If cancer strikes someone we love, it has a way of dictating an uncertain future for the one who’s sick but also for those surrounding her. In most cases, cancer becomes a family affair. Those who haven’t been demonstrative suddenly begin hugging each other, and everybody goes out of their way to be kind. Fresh bonds are formed, and declarations of love become easier to make.

These are some of the positives God brings when circumstances seem the most negative. But how much nicer is it when families have practiced kindness and love all along, before the crisis? None of us should wait for an emergency to work at forming strong bonds or to start hugging. Families can weather storms much better when harmony is already a way of life.

Three months ago Mary turned 70. As a special birthday treat her children created a book of notes, photos, and greeting cards from family and friends, each one a tribute to their mom. Naturally her extended family was well represented in the album, along with scores of others. But when the messages were written, no one knew the birthday girl would soon be coping with cancer.

Life’s crises tend to come on us suddenly, often taking us by complete surprise. And frequently the chaos of crisis events doesn’t give us time to mend relationships or right wrongs before it’s too late. Regret sets in, and we are saddened to know we lost our chance to say and do all the good stuff before it was “forced” by circumstances. A better approach would be to steadily work at those things as we go along, day by day, keeping short accounts with those we love.

This week while texting back and forth with Mary I asked how she was feeling. Her answer was interesting. “I’ve been sitting in the sun [their condo has a southern exposure] reading my birthday book, overwhelmed by it all.”

If Mary’s kids had waited to make her birthday book until after her diagnosis, every single message would have made reference to her cancer, whether directly or indirectly, and the whole thing would have taken on a sad feel. How much more nourishing for her to be drenched in warmth this week, both from sunshine streaming through the windows and pre-cancer love radiating from her album.