There was no way to justify coming through the mountains just to see something of beauty. But some of the things we do just don’t need justifying.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Teton)
“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.”
–Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT)
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There are some things that a person just has to see simply because they are there. Many times through our travels we have gone to see God’s beautiful creation. It was for that time in our lives and in our travels that God allowed us to see something beautiful.
Many times up in the high country I have thought of the majesty and awesomeness of God. Trying to think of Him and His ways are beyond comprehension, humbling, and yet at the same time they give excitement to the soul. His ways are definitely above ours.
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We should be thankful that we live in this country and in this time. Sure we have problems, but I have been reading of the hatred that was between Catholics and Protestants. Some vile things took place to persecute either one group or the other. We should pray all the more for Christians who live in countries where they are persecuted. Being a Christian in some countries automatically makes that person a target.
Here is a story, from Robert J. Morgan, about another of those unsung heroes. Men who followed and obeyed God’s Word no matter the consequences. It is an important message of grace. How much grace will God give us? Whatever amount we need!
“Michael Sattler, born in Germany around 1490, became a Benedictine monk. As he studied Paul’s letters, he grew dissatisfied, left the monastery, married, and became a Lutheran. Sometime later he became convinced of believer’s baptism and became an Anabaptist of growing renown whose ministry attracted both converts and enemies.
Sattler, his wife, and a handful of associates were arrested in the mid-1520s and imprisoned in the tower of Binsdorf, where he wrote a letter to his flock: ‘The brethren have doubtless informed you that some of us are in prison. Numerous accusations were preferred against us by our adversaries; at one time they threatened us with the gallows; at another with fire and sword. In this extremity, I surrendered myself entirely to the Lord’s will, and prepared myself, together with all brethren and wife, to die for his testimony’s sake.’
On May 20, 1527 his torture, a prelude to execution, began at city center where his tongue was sliced. Chunks of flesh were torn from his body with red-hot tongs, and he was forged to a cart. On the way to the stake execution the tongs were applied five times again. Still able to speak, the unshakable Sattler prayed for his persecutors. After being bound to a ladder with ropes and pushed into the fire, he admonished the people, the judges, and the mayor to repent and be converted. ‘Almighty, eternal God,’ he prayed, ‘Thou art the way and the truth: because I have not been shown to be in error, I will with they help to this day testify to the truth and seal it with my blood.’ As soon as the ropes on his wrists were burned, Sattler raised the two forefingers of his hand giving the promised signal to his brothers that a martyr’s death was bearable. Then the assembled crowd heard coming from his seared lips, ‘Father, I commend my spirit into Thy hands.’
Sattler’s wife was executed by drowning eight days later.
It reminds me of the verse in Hebrews 11:38, “The world did not deserve these good people.”
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Ponder This: It is decided that the “kid” who killed the people in Santa Fe is not “old enough” to understand right and wrong therefore, he cannot be executed. However, the same people will say that we should listen to the “kids” (same age) who think they can interpret the Constitution. Hmmmm…