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A great woman of the faith went to be with the Lord recently. Her name is Elizabeth Elliot. She was a spiritual mentor to me though I never knew her personally. I read her books and listened to her radio program for several years. Over the next few Wednesday's, I will share some famous quotes of Betty as she often was called.
Let me give you a little background on Elizabeth Elliot. She was a missionary in South America when her husband and four others were killed by those they were trying to reach with the Gospel of Christ. She and her infant daughter stayed and lived in the tribe of the group who had killed her husband and friends. After returning to the U.S. She remarried and her second husband died of cancer after four years of marriage. She remarried again to her third husband and they were married over 35 years. She stopped speaking in public over ten years ago because she realized she was losing her memory.
Let's dig into Elizabeth Elliot's wisdom which was always based on the Word of God. Here are the scriptures that today's quote is based.
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:
"I have loved you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3 a,b)
The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. (Deuteronomy 33:27a)
When I think of this wonderful women there is one statement that comes to mind. "You are loved with an everlasting love. And underneath are the everlasting arms."
This was her signature line for her daily radio broadcast. These were not just words to her but her lifeline throughout many difficult experiences. These scriptures and words defined who she was in the little things and the huge experiences of life. She could only live with the people who killed her husband if she was utterly convinced they were loved and she was loved by God. She needed to know that she could depend on God to care and protect her always. That's the everlasting arms she spoke of every day.
How about me? How about you? Do we believe that God loves us with an everlasting love? In spite of our choices, mistakes, sins and circumstances. This love is eternal....everlasting! He loves us but what else do we learn from scripture and Elizabeth? Underneath each of us, there are the arms of God. Arms to catch us like a net does for a circus performer who loses his balance and falls. Arms to hold us when no one else seems to care. Arms to carry us just like someone who is an invalid, very old, hurt or has no strength. Arms to protect us from an enemy whether real or perceived. Arms to comfort and wipe a way our tears. Life gives each of us opportunities to trust in the truth that we are loved with an everlasting love and under us are the everlasting arms.
Let's make it our goal this week to recognize and depend on a God who loves us and has placed his arms under us as we trust Him with our lives!
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