God Glorified In Martyrdom: Lament For Ms. Mizzel

We do not have to venture farther than the Cross of Christ to understand that the world rejects and hates in an angry and murderous fashion the Truth as it is in God, revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ by faith. And so, in time, was the fate of the prophets before Christ, though Christ was before them and in them and indicating His time through them. And, each apostle was also martyred with the exception of John, who were it not for the Divine intervention of God would have suffered the same blessed end. And each of these, our Lord and every lover of Christ and His Gospel from the beginning (Abel) have met persecution for His name's sake; and each for the proclamation of God's Word, and men have not been able to bear it. The response of the human heart to God's Word is murderous rage (See John 8:39-47, specifically the connection between vv. 40, 43).

I recently posted for prayer on behalf of one Ms. Mizzel, a missionary to Afghanistan. She and her driver were both kidnapped by Afghani rebels and the latest report on their condition from her organization is that they have been murdered - martyred for the sake of Christ. They still have not found them, nor have they heard from their kidnappers; thus, I would hold out the assurance that God knows what they do not in either case; but, the report is of martyrdom, and so Ms. Mizzel has followed in the blessed foot steps of the prophets and the apostles and those who have perished under the title of Christian martyr, losing her life for the sake of Christ and thus finding her life in Christ.

While this is lamentable, such lamentation grows up into the great missionary passion for Christ and His Gospel, such burden transforms Gospel anxiety into Gospel boldness. As it is certain that her imprisonment was for Christ, and served to advance the Gospel, so it is certain that the seed of her life for Christ has not yet reached its full maturity in progression. The prayer is that God will now give exceeding growth in the souls of those both near and far from this martyrdom in the area of love and passion and care for the souls that she spent her life reaching. That we would been given a double portion of her sacrificial heart, and affection for Jesus Christ.

Jim Elliot once pondered, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." Our Lord said it thus, "If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?" (Luke 9:23-25) Ms. Mizzel lived for eternal life, that greatest gain, and in so doing, reckoned herself not her own but Christ's. And for what? Because God is the greatest treasure, and thus the supreme desire is to share Him with the nations within the preaching of Christ and Him crucified! And in so far as we cling and pursue and love Him, so what may cost us our temporal life becomes a blip and less than nothing.

Let us lament, but let us rejoice in hope of the glory of God and the knowledge of it being spread unto all the nations, and by no greater and blessed means than the martyrdom of His adopted children who, I pray, live in earnest pursuit of the knowledge of Christ and the heralding of His Gospel. God be glorified in the seeds of Your saints! Amen.