Who forgives like that?

I recently recommended a book to a friend: The End of the Spear--it tells the story of the Waodani Indians in Ecuador and how Jesus used some really incredible people and events to make sure that they got to hear the gospel.

The story starts long before I was even born with 5 men who had a vision to reach this tribe--one of the most fierce with the good news that Jesus saves. On their first attempt to reach them in face to face contact they were murdered by the very people that they were trying to reach. 


But the story doesn't end there--some of their wives and family members took up the work that their husbands had started. They eventually made safe contact with the tribe and many of the very men who had killed these 5 missionaries would become followers of Jesus Christ and family to those whose family they had killed.

This kind of love and forgiveness only comes thru the Lord Jesus Christ. And ultimately this is a story about relationships:
The Lord Jesus and his passionate desire that all people should know His love. His transforming work in the lives of these men and women who gave all to reach the Waodani with the good news. And the same Lord transforming the hearts of the murderous Auca Indians and bringing these souls into sweet relationship with Him and with the very people that they had hurt. 


Jesus says, "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it."


Jim Elliot, one of those 5 missionaries killed, said "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."


A thought that impressed my heart tonight is that relationships take sacrifice and not all of us will be called to sacrifice like  those 5 men--but the Lord has called us to be living sacrifices.


Will you, will I, give all that the world may know that the Lord Jesus Christ loves them and gave Himself for them that they might have life eternal? What other answer can we give but yes!