I have just finished the book “Gold Cord,” a group of stories written by Amy Carmichael, a Christian missionary in the late 1800s and early 1900s, telling of her work in Dohnavur, India.
There is so much marvelous theology in her actions and the reasoning behind her actions that I wish to understand her better. My intent is to read this book through one more time so that I may better grasp, and hopefully share in, her strong faith and pure trust in God.
In a nutshell, at a very young age, Ms. Carmichael decided to give her all to Christ for His work. She was moved in part by listening to godly men speak at the original Keswick conferences in England, where many ministers and missionaries preached and told stories of sacrifice, which inspired and confirmed her goal.
What I admire and wish to obtain in my life is that every choice Ms. Carmichael made in her life was wrapped in prayer. Each decision that was made for the mission she eventually founded was given first to God and she never moved without His response.
All her efforts were toward furthering the kingdom of God as she clearly followed Jesus’ command to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
I sit in awe of Ms. Carmichael’s devotion and clarity of purpose in living her life for God. I wish I could have known her and, of course, one day, I will.
Her work was grueling and the days hot and long in 1900s India, yet she writes this story with the same feeling as the Apostle Paul did when he said, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.”
When I consider what a singularly dedicated servant to God she was, I imagine that she has now met many people in heaven who assisted her mission with finances and prayer.
They, in turn, have met the children that their donations and prayerful petitions helped to save. Faces must be glowing all around heaven as everyone who played a part in this grand work to save children continues to meet each other.
And yes, the mission is still ongoing at Dohnavur, India, over 100 years later. What a beautiful legacy to a pure heart dedicated solely to God and His work.
I am sure there are stories of missionaries like this today, but I have not read of them yet. Even our most dedicated missionaries come home for furloughs to see their families, but Ms. Carmichael only once left India for a visit home to Ireland. She lived her entire adult life caring for the children of India and died at a good old age at the mission house.
I think what impresses me the most is the purity of her strong belief that God would take care of everything when it was needed, as long as she was seeking God’s will and doing His work. And He did.
This belief is why every action taken by the mission was bathed in deep prayer by Ms. Carmichael and the workers. Prayer was so very important to the mission that although they were short staffed in all areas, each of the workers at the mission was scheduled for a half hour of prayer time every workday. There was a prayer room designated solely for this effort.
It made me consider what a better nation we would be living in if each Christian would take a half hour every day to lift up glory and honor to God, to seek His face for all answers, and to pray for our world and its leaders.
It is difficult to imagine in our many busy churches that the staff might actually be scheduled a daily time of prayer to lift up the mission of our Lord.
What a wonderful goal for all who seek God’s will in their lives and ministries – to set a specific time each day for prayer to listen and have God confirm the focus.
This humble Irish girl became a servant of the most high God by being obedient to what she heard as His call on her life. Her desire was to hear God’s voice and sit before the throne until He gave her instructions and then go and do His work.
Oh, I so wish I had her godly characteristics and was as patient in prayer, strong in faith and persevering in knowing my God better. This can only be true when I am humbled before God and let Him be totally in charge of my life. May this be my prayer always.
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
