Saints Saying Yes

Today is November 1st.  All Saints Day.  We look back during this time to remember all the Christian saints, martyrs, and loved ones who have died before us, and we rejoice in knowing they are with our Lord.  We remember those who lived a life of service, who said "Yes Lord" in obedience to His plan.  

Saying yes to God could mean staying in your childhood community, serving and loving on those around you.  It could mean leaving everything you know to serve God in an unknown land.  Someone like Joel's second cousin, David Simonson and his wife Eunice.  They spent over 50 years in Tanzania among the Masai people.  It was hard work, and he often butted heads not only with tribal chiefs, but with those in authority in the country, as he opened the way for even the girls to go to school. Many of those young woman graduate from school and come over to attend Concordia College in MN thanks to David and Eunice.   David was an interesting man, and the stories shared in a book by Jim Klobuchar titled, "The Cross Under The Acacia Tree"  paint a picture of a fierce and Godly man.  Eunice was a nurse and parented their 5 children with David out in the bush often.  His legacy lives on after his death.  He is buried on the land where his home stands and his wife still lives.  Land given to them by the Masai tribe in Tanzania. 

When David first went to Africa, visiting the villages, he learned that a rogue Lion was terrorizing and killing people in the villages at night.  David knew if he were to kill this lion it would put him in favor with the village.  He took his Landrover out into the night quietly waiting for the lion to return.  When he heard the lion coming back for yet another night of killing, he got his shotgun ready, stood firm, prayed hard and shot and killed the beast.  It put him in high standing and opened to way for him to bring Jesus to the villages.  What an adventure the Simonsons lived, two of many who changed the world in Africa all because they said "Yes Lord".

We may tend to focus on those who sacrificed or the martyrs who lost their lives when we define who are saints, but in our years of ministry we have seen many many people who lived their whole lives quietly serving behind the scenes.  I remember fondly Joel's Aunt Mathilda who spent her whole life in the community.  She taught Bible Studies and Sunday School in her country church for forty plus years.  A faithful woman of God who instilled the gospel into so many children who went out of their community into the world.  A woman who encouraged a young newly married girl (me) to teach, to sing, to serve in the church.  It makes me smile to think of the few precious times we were able to sit at her and Uncle Martin's table for a meal and fellowship.  Beautiful saints now walking with Jesus.

So many saints, and yes, I pray we will all be among them some day......serving where we are asked to serve, doing what we are called to do, saying "Yes Lord" in obedience.