If ever young men were surrendered to God’s will, it was the five missionaries martyred by the Auca Indians on January 8, 1956. Their theme song was,
“We rest on thee, our shield and our defender. We go not forth alone to meet the foe. Strong in thy strength, safe in thy keeping tender, We rest on thee, and in thy Name we go.”
My wife and I stood at the piano with Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, and Ed McCully after Sunday dinner at Jim’s uncle’s home and, with Marilou McCully accompanying, sang together this song of trust and praise.
It was our farewell to Jim and Pete just before they sailed to Ecuador. Ed and his wife stayed on a few months longer to finish a medical missionary course before rejoining Jim and Pete. Ed was my closest friend.
It was an almost shattering blow to learn of the deaths of these three soldiers of the cross (along with two others whom we didn’t know) who had entrusted themselves into God’s loving hands.
The fact that God was on His throne and in control did not prevent what seemed a horrible disaster at the time—but brought much glory to His Name and many redeemed souls into His family in the years since.
God could not force these young men to delight in His will even to the death—this was the passion of their hearts. Nor could He force those of us left behind to praise Him in spite of what we could not understand, or to trust Him to bring good out of evil.
Our surrendered trust and praise was something God could not take from them or us, but which blessed Him when we voluntarily gave it to Him. God was magnified and exalted by the glad giving of our hearts in submission to His will, trusting that He knows what is best.
The Five Martyred
Who Were the Five Missionaries Who Died in the Ecuador Jungle | christianity.com/wiki | “The five men left behind five widows. The Huaorani Indians (otherwise known as the Waodani, Waorani, or Auca Indians), totaling around 500 tribe members in 1955”
Five Missionary Martyrs | Plymouth Brethren Writings | plymouthbrethren.org | “There, on January 8, 1956, the most publicized missionary massacre of this century occurred. … But in Ecuador they heard about these Indians referred to as….”
Operation Auca – Wikipedia | “Their efforts came to an end on January 8, 1956, when all five—Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, Ed McCully, Peter Fleming, and Roger Youderian—were attacked and speared …”
Great-Granddaughter of Nate Saint Reflects on Family History | Jan 25, 2023 | Through a series of misunderstandings, a group of Huaorani men attacked the missionaries, spearing all five to death on January 8, 1956.
Ecuadoran tribe transformed after killing of 5 missionaries | Jan 7, 2006 | “Fifty years ago today, tribesmen in Ecuador speared five American missionaries. The deaths of Peter Fleming, 27; Jim Elliot, 28; Ed McCully, 28”
We are now in “Birth Pangs” times, and then – the End | Matthew 24:verses 9-13 | “…9 “Then they will hand you over to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated”
Oh haunting fear of death – be gone
At death – we put on immortality
So moved each time I read of these men. Their deep commitment to preaching the Gospel to all.
We need a massive army of men and women as committed.
I am sure God used this to move thousands of young Christians to carry the Word of God to the lost.
Hi Rick. Totally. But I remind myself: They were just five ordinary guys who followed the Lord’s leading, and had no clue they were about to be speared to death (however – totally sold-out to the Lord). I forget I am just an ordinary guy… know not the future, and just plod along every day…. That is why I pray daily (if I remember to!) something like: “Lord guide me and lead me this day.”
A habit in prayer for me is to always pray something like the Psalmist in Psalm 139:
“23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.