Posted by: Bread of Life Fellowship | more..
Well in those short years many Dayak turned to Jesus Christ as Savior. Willfinger settled in Malinau as a center from which to teach these new converts. It was at this time that the Japanese took occupation of Tarakan and began to search for this white missionary that they heard of. The baby Christian Dayak wanted to hide Willfinger in the mountains. But Willfinger was afraid by doing this they would bring harsh treatment on themselves by the Japanese. Also, Willfinger told them they would have to lie when questioned about where he was, and God didn't want them to lie and neither did he. In a letter to an official he wrote, "In this letter I inform you of my decision, which is the most difficult one of all my life. If I hide, naturally the saints will be forced to lie and disobey orders if they shelter me. I would be forced to drag them into sin. My intention upon leaving my country and family was only to make mankind righteous and not to bring them into sin, even though I pay for it with my life. In short, sir, because of Jesus Christ and His sheep, before I will do anything whatsoever that is not right, I will surely surrender myself." So the 32 year old Willfinger got in boat and started the arduous journey down to Tarakan and there he turned himself over to the Japanese forces in early December of 1942. On Christmas Eve the Japanese dug a grave before him and told Willfinger that he was going to die. He said, "Alright. Just give me moment to sing praise to God and then let me pray." They let him do that, standing over his own grave, then when he was done they bayonetted him to death.
And in Malinau today… the town has grown and towns have risen all around it and you can't go more five or six blocks without seeing a church building. They are all over the area. And you'll hear children laughing in that place and mothers and fathers laughing with them and the homes are clean and ordered all about. They are witness to the power of resurrection life that rises from the witness of Christians who are willing to die for Christ and His Gospel.
"Great heart is dead they say!
Great heart is dead they say!
The idea is that what you do with great passion for Christ, with deep sweet love for the Lord Jesus… what you give up in dying to yourself to serve Him and His gospel… is drawn up into His Resurrection Life and goes on and on to work good for the glory of God. In Willfinger's case I saw the evidence of this truth. God is at work and it is an honor to attach ourselves to men so great who gave all for the gospel. We must do the same.