How can a normal guy, who feels a bit "lost" in life, made a big difference for God?
Nate Saint was the pilot who perished with Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, and Pete Fleming when they were murdered while trying to bring the gospel of Christ to the Auca Indians in South America. It's easy to think of him as a hero, or someone above our level. But this book makes the picture a lot bigger than that.
Jungle Pilot is a fairly straightforward and simple account of the stories of Nate Saint's life. The style and writing is a shade weak, but is balanced by a large amount of block inclusions of Nate Saint's own writing. Nate said, "I don't want to be a great writer, but I long to express myself." (p. 130) Nate's simple, yet unique, style shows that he was successful at expressing himself in an engaging way.
It's a story of a normal guy whose heart deeply desired to serve God. His upbringing was Christian, but perhaps somewhat lacking (moderns might say "disfunctional). He struggled to find God's will for his life. He spent time "doing his own thing," yet having a heart to serve the Lord. He faced painful struggles and losses in relationships. Yet God was guiding his life, and brought him first to a place of work for His Kingdom, then to the place of ultimate sacrifice for His plan.
I read the earliest chapters at starts and stops, slowly getting the picture of who this man was. As I progressed further, I found my eyes would read on into the next paragraph, even after my brain had said I needed to do something else. About 2/3 of the way through, I was throughly engaged, and put aside everything else in order to continue this story. I knew what was coming . . .
It began to be very difficult to read as my eyes slowly filled with tears. While convulsing coughing had been my lot for several days, the shaking was now due to silent sobs. Yet it is not the loss of life that has brought me to such emotion. It is the dedication and commitment to the Lord and His work. It is the realization of a love so powerful that it transcends life itself. My heart longs to be what God had made each of these men. I want that kind of committment and dedication. I want that kind of relationship with my Lord. I want that kind of love for the lost.
"Nothing was more burning in his heart than that Christ should be named among the Aucas. By life or death, oh, may God get glory to himself."
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