April 10
Bible Reading: John 15:12-17
John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
Ernest Gordon was one of many British soldiers captured by the Japanese in the battle for Singapore in WW2. Ultimately, he and thousands of other captives ended up being taken to Banpong, Thailand. The Japanese forced the prisoners into hard—sunrise to sunset—labor in building a 258-mile railway to further their war effort. Severely mistreated, many prisoners died due to torture, beatings, and disease.
Gordon was not a Christian, but during his captivity, he witnessed things that caused him to consider Christ. One such occasion was when a soldier helped to save his best friend when he became ill, giving up all his own rations for the benefit of his friend. His sick friend recovered, but he later died of starvation. On another occasion, at the end of a day’s work, a guard declared that a shovel was missing. In a fit of uncontrollable rage, he yelled, “All die! All die!” Just as the guard was about to shoot the captives, a man stepped forward. “I did it,” he said. The Japanese guard slammed the stock of his rifle onto the captive’s head. The captive sank to the ground, dead. When the shovels were counted afterwards, they were all there. The guard had been mistaken. The captive laid down his life for the sake of the others.
God ultimately drew Gordon into a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus. Other prisoners also trusted in Jesus. The prisoners held worship services. They created a Bible-lending library. They shared their faith with others. On Christmas day in 1943, over 2000 men attended a service. Though held captive in a camp, Jesus worked to set them free to worship Him!
Years following his rescue and release, Ernest Gordon wrote his great spiritual classic, “Miracle on the River Kwai.” The book includes this quote, “I know the depths to which men could sink and the heights to which they could rise. I could speak from the experience of despair, but also of hope; of hatred, but also of love; of man without God, but also of man sustained by God. God in Christ has shared man’s suffering…even that experience which seems to defeat us all, namely, death.” The book ends with this sentence, “He comes into our Death House to lead us through it.”
Ernest Gordon
The activity of sacrificial love by the Spirit-led believer flows ultimately from the One who died on Calvary (1 John 4:19; Romans 5:5). Its presence in one’s life gives testimony to the Risen Christ and the greater love He has showed in laying down His life for us (John 3:16; 1 John 3:16). That we might replicate His self-sacrificial manner is a mysterious and wonderful work of His grace. Apart from Him, we can do no such thing (John 15:5), but by His gracious presence, His love can indeed flow through us. What loving word or deed, in obedience, does God have planned for you and me to express this day? May it be done with a finger pointing towards Calvary!
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” -1 John 3:16
I’M TRUSTING, ONLY TRUSTING
I’m trusting, only trusting
In Jesus day by day;
I feel His presence nearer,
While pressing on my way;
My soul is full of glory,
And this my song shall be:
I love my blessed Savior,
Because He first loved me.
Refrain:
I love Him, I love Him,
Because He first loved me;
I trust Him, I trust Him,
Wherever I may be.
My soul is full of glory,
I sing because I’m free;
I love my blessed Savior,
Because He first loved me.
I’m trusting, only trusting
In Jesus every hour,
Who saves me by His mercy,
And keeps me by His pow’r;
I’ll publish His salvation
Wherever I may be;
With all my heart I love Him,
Because He first loved me. [Refrain]
I’m trusting, only trusting
My Savior’s hand to guide;
I know His grace sufficient,
And ask for naught beside;
My soul is on the mountain,
My home beyond the sea;
O bless the Lord! I love Him,
Because He first loved me. [Refrain]
LookingtoJesus 