Things As They Are

I love Amy Carmichael, and while I appreciate and enjoy Elisabeth Elliot's book on her, A Chance to Die, I truly enjoy reading Amy's own words. If is one of my favorites. Today I started reading Things As They Are, a book about the challenges and realities of being a missionary in India. I was surprised I hadn't read it before, but also thankful. I feel like I understand so much more having been abroad in a country with a non-Christian majority. She says so many heartfelt and wise things. She truly cared for the lost.

Luke 7:22 came up today at church, and coupled with the Matthew and Isaiah verses I've been looking at recently, God's up to something with this whole "lost are found" thing. I'm excited to see how it works out. It rang especially true as I read Things As They Are. Here are a few excerpts for you:

“How much one would like to tell a different story! But a made-up story is one thing and a story of facts is another”


“Yet ‘though it’s dull at whiles,’ there is joy in the doing of it, there is joy in just obeying. He said, ‘Go, tell,’ and we have come and are telling, and we meet Him as we ‘go and tell’”.


“You find it hard enough to grow, if one may judge from the constant wails about ‘leanness,’ and yet you are surrounded by every possible help to growth. You have a whole Bible, not just a scrap of it; and you can read it all, and understand at least most of it. You have endless good books, hymn-books, and spiritual papers; you have sermons every week, numerous meetings for edification, and perhaps an annual Convention. Now strip yourself of all this. Shut your Bible, and forget as if you ad ever known it all you ever read or heard, except the main facts of the Gospel. Forget all those strengthening verses, all those beautiful hymns, all those inspiring addresses. Likewise, of course, entirely forget all the loving dealings of God with yourself and with others – a Hindu has no such memories to help her. Then go and live in a devil’s den and develop saintliness. The truth is, even you would find it difficult; but this Hindu girl’s case is worse than that, a million times worse”


“We feel for them. But feelings will not save souls; it cost God Calvary to win us”


 “’ But I cannot follow so far’”


The last one hit me especially hard. A Hindu girl was interested in Jesus. She wanted to be a Christian. But she also wanted to remain in her caste, and perform those rituals. Amy pointed out the verses that would be incompatible with the girl's idea, but the girl could not get over the fact that when you choose Jesus, you choose only Him. It's not Jesus and __________; it's Jesus Christ, Lord of all. 


Praise God for Amy and other bold missionaries who do not conform to a culture's ways, but present the Gospel, and leave the things as they are.