Open My Hands

January 8 was the anniversary of the deaths of five missionaries in Ecuador: Ed McCully, Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, Nate Saint and Jim Elliot. After I returned from Thailand last year, I devoured several different biographies, one of which was The Shadow of the Almighty, Elisabeth Elliot's account of Jim Elliot's life leading up to his death. I was (and am) convicted and encouraged by his love for the Lord and faithful pursuit of eternal things rather than earthly. One quote in particular stood out to me:

Father, let me be weak that I might lose my clutch on everything temporal. My life, my reputation, my possessions, Lord, let me loose the tension of the grasping hand...Rather open my hand to receive the nail of Calvary, as Christ's was opened - that I , releasing all, might be released, unleashed from all that binds me now. He though Heaven...not a thing to be clutched at. So let me release my grasp. 

Oh, that this would be my heart - open my hands, Lord!