Samuel Zwemer, famous for his missionary work among the Muslims, gives a stirring witness to the joy of sacrifice. In 1897, he and his wife and two daughters sailed to the Persian Gulf to work among the Muslims of Bahrein. Their evangelism was largely fruitless. The temperatures soared regularly to 107 degrees “in the coolest part of the Verandah”. In July 1904, both his daughters, ages four and seven, died within eight days of each other. Nevertheless, 50 years later Zwemer looked back on this period and wrote, “The sheer joy of it all comes back. Gladly would I do it all over again.” (From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya. P277 Tucker)
As a former missionary of 10 years in West Africa, I read this brief biography of Samuel Zwemer. The reality of 107 degree air, open sewers, malarial fevers, and sleepless nights of tossing and turning covered with wet towels and ceiling fans turned to their highest speed in an effort to get cool enough to be comfortable are all part of my memories of missionary life. Nothing about that 107 degree air brings back pleasant thoughts to me as I relate to Zwemer.
The responsiveness of the Burkinabe to the gospel, however, was so positive. When we set up an open-air evangelism rally, people almost always prayed with us to accept Jesus as Savior. The method was simple; using a bed sheet stretched by two metal poles on the back of a pick-up and a 16 mm projector to show the Jesus film. The preacher was always long-winded and the story was told on the level a third grade student would understand. But people…adults…young and old, came to Jesus!
Zwemer never knew that kind of harvest.
One of my three children was born in Africa….but I never buried one there! Zwemer knew the agony of that; I never did. Samuel Zwemer spent five decades working on foreign soil; I spent only one. Zwemer looked back and into the darkest moments of his service and stated that he would go back and do it all over again. Knowing what I know about daily life on the mission field in the tropics, I have the utmost respect for Mr. Zwemer!
I am challenged to renew my passion for Jesus and the spread of His Kingdom as I read of men like John Hyde, Samuel Zwemer, William Carey, Adoniran Judson, J. Hudson Taylor or women like Amy Carmichael and Lottie Moon.
Jesus said we are to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him…
Would you be willing to sit down and write out a prayer to God right now telling Him about the sacrifice you are planning to make as part of your “cross bearing” today? It should be easier said…than done! But in the end it should be done!
This is my perspective, what’s yours?
Brent
