Pierre Korkie has finished his race well

[notice]A monthly column by farmer, preacher and writer  for Jesus, Angus Buchan[/notice]

Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies…

As farmers, we understand very clearly the concept of germination.  When we plant our maize or wheat crop, we have learnt that the good seed needs to be put into the ground and it needs to die in order to germinate.

If you put your seed in the store house, it will never multiply. It will never grow; it will lie there in its original state. It has to be put in the ground and die in order to be activated, to multiply and to produce a crop.  John 12:24 (NKJV) Jesus says “…unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” So it is in dying that we live.

Many years ago a young dynamic and passionate missionary went to the Amazon jungle with his beautiful wife and a few of his friends.  His name was Jim Elliot.  Before he reached the age of thirty, he was martyred.  He was murdered by the very people he was trying to speak to about the Gospel.  Sometime before he died, he wrote “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”   This young man gave up his life on this earth, but as a result he received eternal life.  Many other missionaries have since followed Jim Elliot’s footsteps, because of his testimony.

That is what happened just recently to a former school teacher of Grey College, our dear brother Pierre Korkie. He gave his life for the sake of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is absolutely tragic because he has left behind a young wife and two young children, but the good news is that they will see him again and he will be seated very close to the Master.  It is said that “the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church”, so even as Pierre has given up his life, I know that many young people will be inspired to go to the mission field for our Lord Jesus.

We have been praying for Pierre Korkie for many months to “come home”.  When I heard the news a few days ago, I was devastated and I found it difficult to understand.  The Holy Spirit revealed to me that Pierre has indeed “come home”.  He has come Home to his beloved Jesus, he has come Home to his eternal destination and there he waits patiently for his loved ones to join him.

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Those of us who are left behind need to continue to plant good seed, we need to continue to die to self, we need to be sure that we run this race to the end, because the Lord Jesus Christ is not interested in good starters, He is interested in good finishers. Pierre Korkie has finished his race, he is in Heaven and he is waiting for those of us who love Jesus to join him.  Let us put our hand to the plow and not look back.

Yours in Christ

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Angus Buchan