If It Die

Elisabeth Elliot:

As a teenager I read Amy Carmichael’s biography of Thomas Walker of Tinnevelly. The words which were left indelibly in my mind were those of Jesus just before He went to the cross, quoted by Walker as the only plan which ensures success: “Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit” (Jn 12:24, AV). Each time I hear or read those words they come alive for me because Thomas Walker and Amy Carmichael both staked their lives on them, willing to be a corn of wheat, embrace what is contrary to human nature, and be “buried in South India in order that others might find the true life. When, by my own faults and indifference, or the distractions of the world, I have drifted from this changeless principle (and imagined that I might avoid the deaths and still somehow be fruitful) the words have rung again in the ears of my soul, if it die, if it die, if it die.

He wants to transform every form of human suffering into something glorious. He can redeem it. He can bring life out of death.

When our souls lie barren in a winter which seems hopeless and endless, God has not abandoned us. His work goes on. He asks our acceptance of the painful process and our trust that He will indeed give resurrection life.

How often I am troubled about something that looms ahead, wondering how I am to cope when the time comes. Why do I not bring it at once to the Lord, who stands ready with the next grace for the next thing? Why is it so easy to forget His simple word, “If you need wisdom, I’ll give it to you. If you need strength, it will be there in exact proportion to the difficulties of the day. If you need guidance, I’m your Shepherd. If you need comfort, My name is Comforter.”

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I keep coming across these words of Jesus in various places: if it dies it brings forth much fruit (Jn 12.24). I'm going through a season of very much needing to feed and preach to myself truths to keep  going. These words have become something I am preaching over and over to myself. Elisabeth Elliot is so right when she says that dying to self is "contrary to human nature". That is absolutely my experience. We are constantly being told by the world to look out for ourselves, stand up for ourselves, have plenty of me time, pamper yourself etc etc. Dying to self sounds crazy! Like Elisabeth Elliot says, we imagine that we somehow will be able to avoid the deaths and still be fruitful! This is what we want. But the cycle of life from death is God's good way. How else could we have life, if not from the death of the Lord Jesus? Resurrection only comes after death.

I'm gradually, bit-by-bit, listening to this sermon by David Platt on John 12.24-26. [A line which really stuck out to me was: Prayer is an expression of death to self - how true!] I found it very moving hearing of persecuted believers and of those who have gone before and given their lives for Christ. I felt so convicted for my not wanting to die to self. At the moment I am struggling with contentment with things like the power cuts we have and feeling sorry for myself because it makes school more hard work. It's so good to lift our eyes from our petty troubles (and they really are petty!) and see how the truth that in order to live we must die, should shape our lives.