Karen Watson wrote her own epitaph. Its message has stirred me up to pray for more radical devotion to Christ. She has not died in vain. She was a Southern Baptist missionary to Iraq and was killed by unknown assailants March 15, 2004. I am mentioning it now simply because I was reading the book Lives Given, Not Taken: 21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs, by Erich Bridges and Jerry Rankin. In it I ran across the letter that Karen wrote and left behind in an envelope that said "Open in case of death." It said in part:
Dear Pastor Phil and Pastor Roger,
You should only be opening this in the event of death.
When God calls there are no regrets. I tried to share my heart with you as much as possible, my heart for the nations. I wasn't called to a place; I was called to Him. To obey was my objective, to suffer was expected, His glory my reward, His glory my reward . . .
The missionary heart:
I was called not to comfort or to success but to obedience. . . .
- Cares more than some think is wise
- Risks more that some think is safe
- Dreams more than some think is practical
- Expects more than some think is possible.
There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him. I love you two and my church family.
In His care,
Salaam, Karen
How many of us could write this letter?
These days in our culture we are so comfortable, to comfortable. We buy lettuces in a bag because we are to lazy to clean it and cut it up ourselves let alone try to grow it ourselves.
There is a whole world of people around us who do not know Jesus! There are some Christ followers that are willing to give their lives just so others can know Jesus.
Please, don't waste your life, your time, your money on things that don't matter for the Kingdom of God. Look around you, who needs to know Jesus? Who hasn't heard the wonderful news of Jesus Christ and His free gift of salvation?
Give the gift of the Gospel this Christmas season. Make it clear to those around you that life is about JESUS!
"And I heard God ask, Who will I send"? Is. 6:8
What will you say?
