Give us this day our daily bread,
Not for us, but for those unfed.
Give us this day the gift of seed,
That we might share with others in need.
Give us this day a heart that will care
An abundance of love, a desire to share.
Give us this day both peace and rest,
So we may comfort those less blessed.
And give us this day not riches or fame,
But love for the hurting in Jesus’ name.[/pullquote4]In his autobiography, Paton said that he had already survived many attacks on his life and felt sure he was destined to survive many more because he lived in the presence of the Lord. That assurance gave him the power to persevere until his mission was accomplished.
New Hebrides had no Christian influence before John Williams and James Harris from the London Missionary Society landed in 1839. However, their mission was not meant to be, and both of them were killed and eaten by cannibals on November 20th, only minutes after going ashore. Forty-eight years later John Paton wrote, “Thus were the New Hebrides baptized with the blood of martyrs; and Christ thereby told the whole Christian world that He claimed these islands as His own.”
Over the next fifteen years, John and Margaret Paton saw the inhabitants of the island turn to Christ. Years later he wrote, “I claimed Aniwa for Jesus and by the grace of God, Aniwa now worships at the Savior’s feet.” Today, over 95 years after the death of John Paton, about 85% of the population of Vanuatu identifies itself as Christian, and 21% of the population is Evangelical because of the missionary work of John and Margaret Paton and those who supported them.
May God grant us that same commitment to do our part to see souls saved. May we have the courage to proclaim the gospel to those around us. May our goal as the body of Christ be to share His glorious gospel of power and love.
Hope gives us courage to share the gospel to those who need it most, knowing the Godly words we speak may be the only witness they hear.
