Elisabeth Elliot: Are some of you troubled with talk? With what people are saying about you? With gossip? With criticism? With misunderstanding?

Lisa Barry: When Ted Simonson wrote in to Gateway To Joy, I'm sure he never anticipated that his letter would be the main focus of a future program. But that's exactly what happened. Today we will find out just what he had to say to Elisabeth that is so significant that she decided to pass it on to the rest of us. The topic is quietness, something we would all do well to meditate on for the next 15 minutes. So get ready as we embark on this Friday edition of Gateway to Joy. Here's Elisabeth.

Elisabeth Elliot: "You are loved with an everlasting love." That's what the Bible says. "And underneath are the everlasting arms." This is your friend Elisabeth Elliot, talking with you today about quietness.

Yesterday when I had finished rather a rigorous day of work, and by no means all the work was finished, I was looking at the pile that was still there to be done this morning, I was feeling just a wee bit discouraged and disheartened. God always knows exactly what we need when, doesn't He? It's amazing how His timing meets us just exactly where we are and with precisely what we need.

A letter came, which I want to read almost all of to you. This man had read my newsletter in which there was a request for prayer that the Lord would deliver me from hard-heartedness, from discouragement. He says, "I noticed also your busy travel schedule. Is all that necessary?" he asks. "I mean, did He tell you to do all that, plus books, plus radio, plus home, plus what else? If He did, fine. Just be sure that some of it is not on the schedule just because it's 'good Christian service.' That will wear you down.

Let's say it's all on your plate by His gentle word. Great. Now relax. 'Let not your heart be troubled.' Can I share with you what the Lord has been unfolding these past months in my companionship with Him? It's the story of Mary and Martha, the whole picture of our walk with Him. Martha, bless her, she loved Him, too, complained that Mary wasn't doing more. Isn't it always so? There's always so much that needs doing, all good things, all for the Lord, and the activists are forever recruiting, piling on the guilt.

But Jesus said, 'Leave her alone. Mary has chosen the better part, and it shall not be taken away from her.' Astounding. Somebody wants to take away from us that lovely rest at Jesus' feet. Yes, the devil. He knows that position, that rest, that unhindered attention threatens the foundation of his kingdom. Not the millions of earnest, busy, sincere Marthas. They just don't know yet what Mary knows.

Now what the Lord showed me is that I can be all the long, busy, tiring day, every day, just like Mary inside, quietly at rest in His presence, listening, drinking in His words, refreshed over and over. Yet busy as all get out on the outside, and ready to pour out anytime to thirsty souls around me, if they have a heart to receive. Isn't that terrific? Isn't it practical? Isn't it at once simple and profound?"

I'm still reading this man's letter. The man's name is Mr. Ted Simonson. I do thank you, Ted, for this letter. It was such a comfort to me. He goes on to say, "Oh, Elisabeth. How often He has refreshed me through you. Will you let Him refresh you this time now through me?" Yes, Ted, I will. Thank you.

"Why not?" you say in your letter. "It's all His marvelous life. So trust that marvelous life that is in you. He is not about to become hard-hearted or discouraged in you. He can be Himself quite well without Martha-like anxiety about how He can do it in poor little you. Quiet your soul. Sit still. Listen. Continue to pass on what you should of what you hear. You are standing in a waterfall. There is plenty to go around. His life is full and overflowing. All that you need, and plenty to spare. Gateway To Joy, right? Right at His feet.

We'll pray for you, sure. You're causing a lot of damage in the enemy's camp by being so simple, and you can expect a lot of spiritual opposition. But there's nothing to worry about. 'Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.'

I sense that some of your fears that Jesus can't be Himself in you without strain on your part are groundless. There's enough work in the Spirit without wasting your time on that one. Keep your seat, dear sister. You are loved with an everlasting love. You really are. How we thank God for you and listen each day over WMIT, hungry and thirsty to be refreshed by His Spirit. Much, much love in Jesus our Lord."

Thank you, Ted. You did just that. You refreshed me. You reminded me of God's love and of the utter lack of need for stress. We do not need to be stressed out, do we? We can quiet our souls and sit still. As most of us have noticed, I'm sure in the story of Mary and Martha, Jesus does not rebuke Martha because she is fixing supper. Jesus wanted that supper. He needed the supper. I'm sure that she was fixing a company supper for Jesus, and so was troubled. He rebuked her because she was anxious and troubled about too many things.

I suppose most of us need to eliminate some things from our schedules. We need to sit down, be quiet and listen. I am so grateful for this letter that quieted my soul.

I would take you to Psalm 46. "God is our shelter and our refuge, a timely help in trouble. So we are not afraid when the earth heaves and the mountains are hurled into the sea, when its waters seethe in tumult and the mountains quake before His majesty." Now there's a description of some pretty upsetting things, isn't it? Earth heaving. Mountains being hurled into the sea. Waters seething in tumult. Mountains shaking. Well, what are the figurative flood waters in your life, the figurative mountains, the tumults? "God is our shelter and refuge, a timely help in time of trouble. So we are not afraid."

Then in verse 4: "There is a river whose streams gladden the city of God, which the Most High has made His holy dwelling. God is in that city. She will not be overthrown." There are different ways, I think, in which we could think of that river. But I think of it today as the river of prayer-my communication between my life here on earth in the state of Massachusetts and God's life in the holy city, the perfect city of God. Prayer opens a channel for that river, whose streams gladden the city of God. It can gladden my life.

The psalmist goes on to describe nations in tumult, kingdoms being hurled down. Nations are in tumult. "The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob, our high stronghold. Come and see what the Lord has done, the devastation He has brought upon earth. From end to end of the earth, He stamps out war. He breaks the bow. He snaps the spear. He burns the shield in the fire."

We don't often see Him doing that, do we? But we know that He has power to. He has power over all the kings and kingdoms and dictators. Verse 10: "Let be then. Learn that I am God." Another translation of "Let be then" is "Be still and know that I am God." Shut up and know that I am God, high over the nations, high above earth.

But He's not just high above earth, is He? It says in the last verse, "The Lord of hosts is with us. The God of Jacob is our high stronghold."

I love Amy Carmichael's poem, "O Thou, who are my quietness, my deep repose, my rest from strife of tongues, my holy hill. Fair is Thy pavilion where I hold me still. Back, let them fall from me, my clamorous foes; confusions multiplied. From crowding things of sense, I flee and in Thee hide."

Are some of you troubled with talk? With what people are saying about you? With gossip? With criticism? With misunderstanding? Some of the letters I get trouble me. People are saying things. People are taking things that I have said and turning them upside down and inside out. It bothers me.

Then I go back to Him who is my quietness, my deep repose, my rest from strife of tongues, my holy hill. "Jesus, I am resting, resting, in the joy of what Thou art. I am finding out the greatness of Thy loving heart. Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee and Thy sweetness fills my breast. Jesus, I am resting, resting."

Can you do that now? Whatever tumult and trouble and warring of nations and battles may be troubling you, whatever gossip or misinterpretation of what you've said, whatever it is that troubles you, shut up. Be still. Let be. And know that He is God.

Lisa Barry: Sometimes it takes being still to lead us into thankfulness, doesn't it? Even though this series on gratitude is drawing to a close, I hope that an attitude of gratefulness will go with you right into the new year. Sometimes it's an easy thing to feel gratitude for someone, but never get around to expressing it. In fact, that could be the situation between you and this program. Maybe you've told lots of other people how much you appreciate the program and all that it has meant to you, but you've never gotten around to writing and telling Elisabeth. Why not do so today?

In fact, here's a letter that someone sent in not long ago. She says this-a listener in Texas: "I'm in charge of our church library, more or less. It opened in October of this year and is named after my husband, who died nearly two years ago of cancer. He was 28. I miss him. Many people from our church loved him, so they donated books and money for the library. I enjoy ordering new videos and books. I heard you speak in Houston on the gift of suffering. It was so helpful to me. I purchased the tape and have lent it to many people who have benefited from it as well. I listen to Gateway To Joy in my car. It instructs me and uplifts me."

I'm sure that's true for many of you, and we hope that you would just put your thoughts down on paper and mail them to us so we can know how this program is impacting your life. Here's our address: Gateway To Joy, Box 82500, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68501. Gateway To Joy has been a production of Back to the Bible.

Monday Elisabeth begins a brand-new series. I'll tell you more about it then, so be sure and tune in the next time we meet for Gateway To Joy.