Even in Flames

This week I have been taking a journey through the annals of time. I have been transported through the centuries of the Reformation, and the things I have seen have left me pondering: If I were required to either give up my belief, or face a cruel death, which path would I choose? Do I have what it takes to face death unflinching, and no matter the cost tenaciously cling to my God?

As I have walked the road with the likes of Luther, Wycliffe, Tyndale, and Zwingli a stark contrast was evident, on the one hand is hatred, contempt, complete disregard for truth no matter how obvious the error, contrasted with love, faith, hunger for a deeper revelation of the Love of God through the Holy Scriptures. It became glaringly obvious how deep is the chasm between good and evil. When an individual chooses to be totally given over to darkness, there is no end to the atrocities, and inhumanities that can be rationalized away. Thus began the history of blood shed.

Yet even as all hope seemed lost, even as the cause of evil appeared to be victorious, the death of the faithful actually catapulted the cause of truth forward. As truth was contrasted with error, thousands saw the light glimmering through the clouds of traditions and came forward, many times losing their lives as well. The words echoing down from the early church proved true: "the blood of Christians is seed."

Time and again I watched in awe as the seekers of truth faced the flames with a courage that was unparalleled by anything I have ever witnessed. With total abandon they sought after God not matter the cost, too often paying with their very lives. They sacrificed their existance for the Truth they found. Yet as the flames were ignited I heard their hymns of praise, floating over the gathering multitude, in their dying breath. What passion! What utter abandment to the cause of God. What a challange to the church of today. What a challange to me.

Again, I ask myself, what would I do? My prayer is that I will continually draw closer to Christ. That my faith will be so deeply grounded in Him that regardless the cost, my answer is sure. May I so completly trust His heart, that I would rather lose my temporal life than compromise His character in me.

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.
-Jim Elliot-