I am determined

In my study of the history of the early church, I ran across one of the martyrs who expressed his faith in a way that stirs my heart. It was Ignatius, the head pastor of the church of Antioch. His unashamed profession of Christ obtained the death sentence for him. As he was taken to Rome to be executed for his faith, he sent a message to the Roman Christians asking them to not intervene. Here is the recorded statement of his last words:

“Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the company of wild beasts, let the breaking of the bones and the tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil come upon me; be it so, only may I win Christ Jesus…I am the wheat of Christ; I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beasts that I may be found pure bread.”

We are not facing that same kind of threat today but we still need that kind of determination of faith.

From a chorus we used to sing in church:

“I am determined, I've made up my mind I'll serve the Lord
I've left the pleasures of this world behind, I'll serve the Lord.
I'll follow wherever he leadeth I'll pasture wherever he feedeth
I am determined, I've made up my mind I'll serve the Lord.”