Finding Life

"Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10: 39

On May 27, 2001, Martin and Gracia Burnham were having a wonderful time at a luxury resort in the Philippines celebrating their 18^th wedding anniversary. This was an extravagant change of pace from their everyday lives as Christian missionaries working in the jungle regions of the Philippine islands.

Martin was no stranger to the area—his parents had also served as missionaries in the Philippines, and he had grown up there. He came to the United States as a young man, and met the woman who would become his wife at a Bible College in Kansas City. Martin and Gracia were married in 1983, and two years later, they became missionaries to the Philippines themselves. For Martin, it was a homecoming of sorts; for Gracia, it was a whole new world.

Martin became a missionary pilot flying passengers and supplies for a Christian missionary organization. They were blessed with children: Jeff, Mindy, and Zach. They labored to make Jesus Christ known to the tribespeople they served. And in late May of 2001, they decided to take a rare vacation to celebrate the 18 years God had given them as husband and wife. So on May 27, 2001, the two of them happened to be at a resort in the Philippines when radical Muslim gunmen stormed the place and abducted them along with 18 others. A day later, the Abu Sayyaf group claimed responsibility for the kidnappings. Abu Sayyaf means "One Who Holds a Sword," and the group's stated objective was to carve a Muslim state out of the southern Philippines. Thus began a year-long nightmare that would test the Burnham's faith again and again.

In the beginning, the members of Abu Sayyaf laughed in disbelief at Martin, who would offer to carry things for his captors and the other hostages. Every night, when he would be chained to a post in the jungle, he would thank the guard and wish God's blessings upon him. And as the weeks dragged into months, his abductors became quietly awed by his faith in Jesus. In fact, Martin had lengthy discussions about Jesus with the group's leader and others, and at times it seemed as if their hearts were softening, just a little. But all was not well with the Burnhams. The mental and emotional pressure was enormous. Gracia said that every time she heard a twig snap, she thought it was a gunshot. When the couple appeared on video after many months of captivity, they appeared gaunt and ill. Martin was rumored to be suffering from malaria. But even with all that, Martin still sang to his wife every night to calm her fears. They prayed with other hostages. They endured this day after day, until one day Martin looked over at his wife and said, "We might not leave this jungle alive, but at least we can leave this world serving the Lord with gladness."

On June 7^th, 2002, Martin and Gracia prayed together and then laid down for a nap. They were awakened by the sharp sound of gunfire and shouting. U.S.-trained Philippine soldiers were raiding the jungle hideout in which they were being held. Bullets were flying everywhere. One of them passed through Gracia Burnham's thigh, but she was rescued and underwent surgery for her wounds. The members of Abu Sayyaf were under orders to execute Martin Burnham if ever such a raid occurred, orders which they carried out. Martin Burnham did not leave the jungle alive, but he did leave this world gladly serving the Lord to the very end.

Jesus said, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." If we take Jesus at His Word, then we know that Martin Burnham, along with every other Christian who has been martyred for the faith, has found transcendent, heavenly life. This is discipleship at its most extreme—and most Christ-like. It begs the question, if you were in Martin or Gracia Burnham's shoes, what would you do?

That isn't easy to think about…and we can wiggle out from under the weight of that thought by telling ourselves that we'll probably never be put in a situation like that anyway. But, let me suggest that there's more to Jesus words here than meets the eye. When Jesus talks about losing our lives for His sake, we tend to go right to examples like Martin Burnham. That's understandable. But what if losing our lives to find them in Jesus means more than that?

Here's what I'm trying to say: what part of your life do you sense God is asking you to lose? What do you sense God is asking you to lose? Is he asking you to lose the tendency to take it out on your loved ones when things don't go your way? Or the need to always have the last word? Is he asking you to lose the hesitancy to share your faith with the people you know? How about a love for possessions that outweighs your love for the things of God? A secret addiction that's eating away at your insides? A willingness to say or do anything in order to seem cool to your friends? Is he asking you to lose a basic self-centered approach to life? You know better than I do. What part of your life is He begging you to lose?

Your first reaction to this line of questioning may be anger mixed with fear. We don't want to lose those parts of ourselves. They may be wrong and they may be sinful, but they're ours, doggone it, they're familiar. We're afraid that if we lose those things God is asking us to lose, we won't be as happy as we are now, but do you see how messed up that is? Our sins don't make us happy, not really. Trusting in your sins to make you happy just compounds your misery. You don't have to think that way, not anymore, because Jesus says to you today, "Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." There is a new kind of life that is findable. It's obtainable. Jesus says so right here. And this is what it boils down to.

If you lose your selfishness (and when I say "lose" I mean consciously reject that attitude), if you lose your selfishness and turn to Christ, you will find an outlook that centers on the needs of others. If you lose your pride, consciously stop it and reject it and look to Jesus, you will find true humility. If you lose your attachment to material things and seek Jesus, you will find fulfillment in things of the Spirit. If you lose your reluctance to be a spokesperson for God, if you surrender your silence to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will help you find your Christian voice. If you lose your stubborn self-reliance, Jesus will teach you to find peace when you rely on Him. If you lose old ways of life for Jesus, then you will find the best kind of life, because He will fill you up with Himself. And nothing can separate you from Him. He gives you victory over tragedy and terror and disease. This is the life Jesus wants you to find. What do you have to lose? Amen.