Who Will You Choose? ~ A Chance to Die

If a man or woman honestly wishes to be a follower, the opportunity will present itself.  Christ will say, "Here is your chance.  Now, in this situation, you must make your choice.  Will it be self?  Or will you choose Me?"

An older missionary said something to Amy Carmichael when she was a young missionary that stayed with her for life.  She had spoken of something which was not to her liking.  His reply was, "See in it a chance to die."

~ Elisabeth Elliot, A Lamp for My Feet

~Brittany

In Acceptance Lieth Peace

In Acceptance Lieth Peace

He said, ‘I will forget the dying faces;
The empty places,
They shall be filled again.
O voices moaning deep within me, cease.’
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in forgetting lieth peace.

He said, ‘I will crowd action upon action,
The strife of faction
Shall stir me and sustain;
O tears that drown the fire of manhood cease.’
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in endeavour lieth peace.

He said, ‘I will withdraw me and be quiet,
Why meddle in life’s riot?
Shut be my door to pain.
Desire, thou dost befool me, thou shalt cease.’
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in aloofness lieth peace.

He said, ‘I will submit; I am defeated.
God hath depleted
My life of its rich gain.
O futile murmurings, why will ye not cease?’
But vain the word; vain, vain:
Not in submission lieth peace.

He said, ‘I will accept the breaking sorrow
Which God tomorrow
Will to His son explain.’
Then did the turmoil deep within me cease.
Not vain the word, not vain;
For in Acceptance lieth peace.

Amy Carmichael

In Acceptance Lieth Peace

In acceptance lieth peace,
O my heart be still;
Let thy restless worries cease
And accept His will.
Though this test be not thy choice,
It is His—therefore rejoice.

In His plan there cannot be
Aught to make thee sad:
If this is His choice for thee,
Take it and be glad.
Make from it some lovely thing
To the glory of thy King.

Cease from sighs and murmuring,
Sing His loving grace,
This thing means thy furthering
To a wealthy place.
From thy fears He’ll give release,
In acceptance lieth peace.

—Hannah Hurnard

~Brittany

Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?

I just began reading Elisabeth Elliot's devotional book "Keep a Quiet Heart".   The first chapter so spoke to me and was an encouragement to me.  She began this section of the book with a little poem by Amy Carmichael that was so good, and it kind of summed up her first chapter.  I thought I'd share the main sections of the first chapter that spoke to me with the hopes that it may be an encouragement to all of you as well.  :-)  May we seek His will and wait on Him in every aspects of our lives!

~Breanna

 

"Thou art the Lord who slept upon the pillow,

Thou art the Lord who soother the furious sea,
What matter beating wind and tossing billow
If only we are in the boat with Thee?

Hold us quiet through the age-long minute
While Thou art silent, and the wind is shrill:

Can the boat sink while Thou, dear Lord, art in it?

Can the heart faint that waiteth on Thy will?"

~Amy Carmichael

"Purity of heart, said Kierkgaard, is to will one thing.  The Son willed only one thing: the will of His Father.  That's what He came to earth to do.  Nothing else.  One whose aim is as pure as that can have a completely quiet heart, knowing what the psalmist knew: 'Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup, and have made my lot secure' (Psalm 14:5 NIV).  I know of no greater simplifier for all of life.  Whatever happens is assigned.  Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things which happen to us which do not belong to our lovingly assigned 'portion' ('This belongs to it, that does not')?  Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty?  Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good.  As I accept the given portion other options are cancelled.  Decisions become much easier, directions clearer, and hence my heart becomes inexpressibly quieter."


"A quiet heart is content with what God gives.  It is enough.  All is grace."

"Response is what matters. Remember that our forefathers were all guided by the pillar of cloud, all passed through the sea, all ate and drank the same spiritual food and drink, but God was not pleased with most of them.  Their response was all wrong...The same almighty God apportioned their experience. All events serve His will.  Some responded in faith.  Most did not.  'No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.' (1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV).  Think of that promise and keep a quiet heart!  Our enemy delights in disquieting us.  Our Savior and Helper delights in quieting us.  'As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you' is His promise (Is 66:13, NIV).  The choice is ours.  It depends on our willingness to see everything in God, receive all from His hand, accept with gratitude just the portion and the cup He offers."

"God came down and lived in this same world as a man.  He showed us how to live in this world, subject to its vicissitudes and necessities, that we might be changed- not into an angel or a storybook princess, not wafted into another world, but changed into saints in this world.  The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances"

"He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best,

Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,

Mingling toil with peace and rest."

~Linda Sandell