2008-10-07 14:10:00
"They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death" (Revelation 12:11).
In August I went to a missionary aviation presentation at Smoketown Airport here in Lancaster County. Several planes and a helicopter used in missions work were on display. Pilots from various agencies were present and they performed live flying demonstrations. Steve Saint, son of missionary pilot Nate Saint who was martyred in the fifties in Ecuador, was also present and shared of his faith. He has followed his dad's example and serves the Lord as a missionary pilot!
About the same time Brooksyne read in our local paper about David Clapper, a missionary pilot, who died in a plane crash in Indonesia while he was about the Lord's work. She clipped his obituary and gave it to me to read. I noted at the time that the pilot had connections in this area with our friends, Cerwin and Doris High's church. Yesterday I was speaking to Doris and she told me on Sunday they had a memorial service for him at her church and how very touching it was (I have a link to her [blog] account and photographs; to see photos, click here).
For some time I have had a verse on my heart I wanted to write about. As I read about this missionary's death it came to mind again. The phrase that grips my heart is concerning some faithful martyrs who had overcome Satan by the blood of Jesus. "They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."
I consider that this same attitude is evident in regard to Dave Clapper who served in a dangerous place and was well-acquainted with the risks involved. He had to know of the outcome of others who served in a similar way. Yet I believe the sentiment of the daily verse was a foundational component in his overcoming faith. He had an enduring hope which is foundationally a spiritual hope, not contingent on how many years one spends on this earth. It was Jesus who spoke these words to the twelve who went out into missionary service: "If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it" (Matthew 10:39).
"Forty brave soldiers for Jesus" is a powerful ballad set in the period of Roman emperor Valerianus Licinius that tells the true story of a group of Christians who took a stand for the Lord and paid the price. "They did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." All through the Bible and church history right up to the present time there is a multitude of faithful overcomers who demonstrate this. I have a link to this song below and I suggest at some time you listen to it. It's really a remarkable story and has a very interesting ending!
Today may God give all of us a heart to see the spiritual reality of what really matters. I don't understand why God would allow Dave Clapper to die in a plane crash. My faith in the goodness of God asserts that God is in control even when I don't understand or when life circumstances make no sense at all. When I read Hebrews 11 it goes against the sensibilities that godly people would be stoned, sawed in two, or be put to death by the sword or by the bullets of hate-filled gunmen. But then I immediately consider Stephen, the first martyr of the New Testament, who was stoned as he stood up for Jesus. And Jesus stood up for Stephen as he looked toward heaven before he drew his last earthly breath.
I'm inspired as a couple of phrases from Hebrews 11 seem to leap from the pages of my Bible; "that they might gain a better resurrection" and "the world was not worthy of them." That gives me the perspective I need today. Let's stay faithful and keep standing true for Christ and the Holy Scriptures. No matter the cost. Today let us link our hearts with these heroes of faith past and present, who "did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Let us stand for the One who also knew the jeering scorn of unbelief and rejection, but remained faithful as He yielded to the Father's will. May our attitude be the same as that of Christ who earnestly prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, "Not my will but Thine be done."
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
Daily prayer: Father, help us to hold loosely to this temporal life and cling tightly to the promised eternal life. The only way we can have this outlook is to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Just as Stephen in the book of Acts looked up to the heavens in the face of death, help us to look up to the heavens in life or in death. We are blessed as we persevere under trial, because when we have stood the test, we will receive the crown of life that You have promised to those who love You.
Tags: daily encouragement,archive,blog
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