My all* - Mariah Carey

61 years ago today, 5 missionaries were killed in Ecuador. As i was thinking about it, i remembered blogging way back in 2015 about a movie that was based on that incident. I didn't finish that post and maybe that's why it still remained in my draft folder until today.

Here is the post:-

Some months ago, we screened a movie entitled "End of the Spear" in our local church. Here is a brief synopsis of the movie taken from Wikipedia:-

End of the Spear is a 2006 docudrama film that recounts the story of Operation Auca, in which five American Christian missionaries attempted to evangelize the Huaorani (Waodani) people of the jungle of Ecuador. Taking a unique spin on actual events from the 1950s in which five male missionaries were speared by members of the Waodani tribe, the movie tells the story from the perspective of Steve Saint (the son of Nate Saint, one of the murdered missionaries), and Mincayani, one of the tribesmen who killed the missionaries. The two eventually form a bond that continues to this day. 

To be honest, i initially wasn't too keen about watching the movie - i was afraid to, actually. I thought i would find it too depressing. After all, we all knew the storyline - 5 fine young men who's lives were prematurely ended violently. Among the 5, one of them is a well known missionary - Jim Elliot.

That's all i blogged back then. But based on the title that i gave for that post, the emphasis back then was on how the missionaries gave their all for God.

While to many, it may seem like a needless tragedy, yet we Christians see it as how God was working out his will. Now that may seem to be terrible as it means that God basically sent those men there to die.

This may be a difficult idea for many to take in - even for some Christians, especially those who feel that God will protect them and keep them safe no matter what. But this is sadly incorrect, to think that nothing 'bad' will ever happen to us here on earth. Many Christians have been martyred and many have been persecuted and still are being persecuted.

I remember when i was going for a medical test and a well-meaning brother came to me and tried to assure me that the test will be positive in my favour as God will certainly not let anything bad happen to me.

The reality is that bad things do happen to Christians. After all, 'bad' things happened to our Lord Jesus himself when he was on earth! But all this was to work out for the good of those who love him.

This is something that i still struggle with and still have fear over some times. There is no assurance that 'bad' things will not happen to me - but the assurance is that God will certainly help me through it. And that the things that do happen, it is all for a reason. A good reason. It is for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28).

The question that Christians like me must ask is taht am i willing to give my all to him who is all powerful and almighty - and who is all-knowing and all all loving?

For now, i just have to remind myself to life by the words of Jim Elliot who died 61 years ago - 'He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose'.

*Released in 1998, it was her 13th no. 1 hit. Apparently, it was written after her trip to Puerto Rico which influenced her to write the song in the Latin music style.