Good Book - Shadow of the Almighty

 "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

So said one Jim Elliot of whom the book, Shadow of the Almighty by author Elisabeth Elliot, Jim's wife, has been written about.

In some ways this is a biography but in others it's more akin to an autobiography in that Elisabeth used many of Jim's diaries and letters written to a variety of family and friends over the years of his short life.  Much of the book is therefore direct quotations or close renditions thereof, from Jim's own pen.

In case you are wondering, this is the Jim Elliot who was one of the five jungle missionary men martyred in Eastern Ecudador by the Auca/Waorani* tribe of Indians.

Shadow of the Almighty covers Jim's early life growing up in a very devout, conservatively Christian family and moves in stages on to his university years.  Along that life, were stirrings of his mind and heart to serve the Lord, even from a very young age.,

The zeal, the passion for living his life to please the Lord, to serve the Lord, to live a holy life for the Lord and to reach the "unreached" who had not yet heard the message of Jesus Christ, never wavered.  This can be seen through his life as portrayed in his writings as seen in this book.

Truly, Galations 6:9 could be said of him despite his occasional human discouragements.  He would be lifted up, encouraging himself and others, with verses such as this,

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

The book tells how the Lord led him to Ecuador to the Quichua Indians and eventually to those who had caught the inner sanctums and core of his heart, the Auca Indians (later known as the Waodani).

This was the test of putting "his money where his mouth was."  His burden was intense for...

"...cultural groups as yet untouched..." (page 236)

...by the love of Christ and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Auca's were just such a people.

By human standards this would be deemed, "exceedingly dangerous" and foolish to even attempt; others had done so to their, oh too late to regret.  The Auca's were known as agressive and killing others almost for the sport and fun of it.  Indeed, there had been recent reports of random killings.

Yet true to Jim's modus operandi, his decisions were backed by, 

"Scriptural principles; God directed circumstances, and [his] own inward assurance - all consonant..." (page 236),

so he moved forward with the plan, along with the other four men, to contact the Auca's. 

You'll have to read the book to discover this "backbone" of Jim Eilliot for yourself and its fuller explanation and meaning.

As mentioned earlier, there were five men murdered.  At least three of the others had been close friends of Jim's pre-Ecuador days and in fact had inspired them, and they him, towards mission work and a life dedicated to the Lord in lands other than their own.  It's been interesting to see how the Lord brought them all together to converge on this gigantic, pivotal advance into Satan's territory, together, for God's glory and to gain "treasure" for Heaven.

Mission work is definitely NOT for sissies.  There had been many struggles, sacrifices and disappointments along the way but the Lord had enabled Jim to fervently pray,

"God, send me soon to the Aucas" (page 239).

God did.

Furthermore, as what happened to God's Son Jesus, sent to the dangerous "whosoever" of the world, so too,

"...on Sunday, January 8, 1956, the men for whom Jim Elliot had prayed for six years killed him and his four companions" (page 245).

This well-known saying, says it all... 

"The blood of the martyr is the seed of the church."

Jim left this world with very few material possessions but the spiritual legacy he left behind has had enormous postive impact and ripples in the lives of untold numbers known only to the Lord;  many of this 'harvest' being reaped from among the Waodani.

You can discover some of the continuing story of those 'repercussions' from Elisabeth Elliot's book, Through Gates of Splendor and in Steve Saint's book, End of the Spear.  (Steve Saint is son of Nate Saint, one of the five men killed.  This book was also made into a movie. Of course, the book form is always better.)

Jim wrote many hymns for the Quichua to sing.  Here's a poignant one which became a favorite.  It seems to embody Jim's purpose of life and thoughts about death-in-Christ, combined.

"If a man dies, he falls like a tree.

Wherever he falls, there he lies.

If he is not a believer, he goes to the fire-lake."

"But on the other hand, a believer,

If death overtakes him,

Will not fall rather will rise

That very moment, to God's house." (page 241).

This was the treasure for which Jim Elliot was willing to give what he could not keep:  his life given that others may have eternal life, and he was no fool.  He gained an uncountable harvest for God His Heavenly Father and Jesus His Savior and Lord. 

Do find a copy of, and read, Shadow of the Almighty.  May your hearts be spurred on towards a deeper relationship with the Lord and the yet unreached to be brought to Christ, as was Jim Elliot's.

                                                       ~ERC  May 2021~

*Now known as Waorani (alternate spelling, Waodani).