Jim Elliot was a missionary to a remote tribe of people.
Eric Liddell was a missionary to China and also the basis for the movie Chariots of Fire.
57You are my portion, LORD;
I have promised to obey your words.
58 I have sought your face with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 I have considered my ways
and have turned my steps to your statutes.
60 I will hasten and not delay
to obey your commands.
61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes,
I will not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks
for your righteous laws.
63 I am a friend to all who fear you,
to all who follow your precepts.
64 The earth is filled with your love, LORD;
teach me your decrees.
Psalm 119:57-64
You are my portion, LORD; I have promised to obey your words. Have I come to the place where I can say, “God is all I need?” Can I honestly say, “He is my portion?” Jim Elliot, the martyred missionary, once said, “He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain that which he can not lose.” We struggle to maintain control of our lives; yet, one day we will all die. If we would willingly give God our lives, then we would gain treasure in heaven. Contrary to popular opinion, giving God all of our lives is the only reasonable thing to do. Trying to hang on to our lives is like trying to hang on to water cupped in our hands. Over time the water runs out just like the days of our lives. If we haven’t given our lives to God, then the days have slipped away from us and we will have failed to make an investment in eternal things. God wants us to make Him our portion. God is to be the delight and focus of our lives.
I have sought your face with all of my heart. How much time do we spend seeking God in prayer and in Bible study? Do we give him a portion of each day? If you haven’t started the practice of daily Bible reading, perhaps start with a chapter a day and read through an entire book of the Bible. If you haven’t started praying, write down a list of things that would like to pray about and pray about two or three things each day. Time in prayer and Bible reading often gradually increases over a period of weeks and months. As you learn more about God, the desire to spend more time with Him will grow.
I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statues. Eric Liddell, whose life story was captured in the movie Chariots of Fire, was scheduled to run in the 100 meter race as part of the British Olympic team. However, the race was set for Sunday, and Liddell’s religious convictions prevented him from running on Sunday. Instead of changing his religious convictions, he turned his steps to follow God’s steps. He decided to run in the 400 meter race which was set for a Thursday even though he had trained for the 100 meter race. God rewarded Eric Liddell with a gold medal in the 400 meter race for his obedience. This is a wonderful example of a Christian man who dedicated himself to following God’s laws; he lived a life of complete surrender to God. His actions were determined by God’s words rather than the pressures of the outside world.
