John G. Paton missionary to the New Hebrides Islands in the 19th Century tells of an incident where he felt the presence of the Lord the most in his life. He had landed on the islands to find the people in full idol worship, and it had degraded to cannibalism especially when a chief died. His wife had just given birth to their son when she fell to a high fever and died in his arms and the child the next day. Being all alone with no companions, he dug a hole in that lonely island with his own hands and buried his small family in massive grief. The natives found him to be alone after this, and they attempted to kill him also and he ran for his life through the jungle. Finding a large nut tree, he climbed up into its large branches and sat all night. As he sat there, he could hear the savages shooting their muskets and searching for him to kill him. As he looked to the Lord and looked up into the clear south sea night the moon was full, and he prayed to the Lord for His will. John Paton described the moment when he had surrendered everything in his life into the providence of God. And at that moment in that tree the peace and presence of God overwhelmed him, it was so strong it brought tears of over whelming comfort to his spirit and life. He would say often in his book that over his life he often looked back to that moment and wanted so badly to feel that kind of presence of the Lord again.
The next morning, he climbed down that tree and would go on to lead that Island to the Lord. Those same savages would put down their weapons come to Christ and be clothed and serve the living God! A great revival happened on those islands and there is a plaque there today that says this. “When John G. Paton came to this Island there was no Christians. When he left there was no pagans.”
My dear church, what we need most is a full surrender to the providence of God in our own life and the presence of God that surpasses all understanding to go out into this world we live in and win this land for Jesus Christ! Pastor Mark