Not Quite Finished

I am much older than all of the servants mentioned below. And most of these saints did far more for Christ and the Kingdom in their short lives than I have done in a much longer period of time. Reading about these saints makes me reflect on God’s sovereignty over our lives. Having just lost a dear friend and questioning, “Why now God?”, and “Why not me instead of him?”, I did some reflecting on the impactful lives for Christ that God took home to be with him at an earlier age. And there were many.
Even during our time on the field we saw many who were called home while serving Him, at a time that no one expected. Some killed by terrorists, some by medical issues, some by car accidents. Even had a friend who served along side of us in Africa who was hiking in some mountains and fell off the side of one. Most all of them left family – kids, siblings, and parents – behind to grieve.
These great saints below have left their mark: No more playing games. No more trivial pursuits. No more obsession with self. Time is short and Christ deserves our all, since he gave His all for us. As C. T. Studd once said, “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Or as a young Jim Elliot put it: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Oswald Chambers, 1874-1917, died at age 43.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1906–1945, died at age 39.
Jim Elliot, 1927-1956, died at age 29.
Keith Green, 1953-1982, died at age 28
Rich Mullins, died at 41
Eric Liddell, 1902-1945, died at age 43, while in China as a missionary
Jonathan Edwards, 54—Unusual mind and godliness, died from vaccination
George Whitefield, 55—Saw thousands converted when he preached
Charles Spurgeon, 57—Very famous preacher
David Brainerd died of tuberculosis at 29 while doing missionary work among the Indians.

Reflecting on these servants lives and the impact that they had while living on this planet, gives me an abiding peace about my friend, who just died suddenly from a heart attack. I can gratefully look back and see the servanthood that he displayed each day that I knew him. And that servanthood went far beyond my knowledge. His sphere of God’s grace touched an abundance of lives that would have possibly never encountered the essence of God. So, God used him for His glory during his time on this earth and I’m quite sure he is enjoying where he is now a whole lot more that where he was. Now he is probably sharing stories with some of those saints above….