Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Aidan an Lindisfarne

"He cultivated peace and love, purity and humility; he was above anger and greed, and despised pride and conceit; he set himself to keep and teach the laws of God, and was diligent in study and in prayer...I greatly admire all these things about Aidan." ~ The Venerable Bede

Aidan an Lindisfarne lived in the years 600 to 651AD in Ireland and then in Northubria.  He was first a monk on the Isle of Iona, and devoted himself greatly to pray and studying of word.  After a failed attempt by another missionary to reach the Northubrian Anglos, Aidan pointed out respectfully some ways ministry could be done among the Northubrians, and thusly he was sent as a missionary among them.

Aidan loved to talk to the unsaved among the Anglos about Jesus.  He would not ride a horse, because it deprived him of opportunities to witness about Christ while he traveled.  It was easier to talk to people, he thought, when you were on their level.   Later on, King Oswin of the Anglos of Northumbria gave Aidan an expensive horse thinking it would in rich the life of the ageing missionary.  Aidan had not ridden very far before he gave the horse away to a poor person.  King Oswin became angry with Aidan for doing this.  Aidan asked Oswin if a horse was more important to him than one for whom Christ had died.  King Oswin, who was a Christian, repented and asked Aidan's forgiveness.

In 635 A.D. Aidan founded the monastery on Lindisfarne.  From here he preached to and brought Christ to the Anglos of Northumbria.  It is from this word Anglos we get the modern word English.  He was a man of leadership and yet great humility, and often is an inspiration to me in my walk with Christ.

Normally on this day, August 31st, I send cards to people who are in some place of leadership or doing missions work, as a way of encouraging them, much as Aidan an Lindisfarne would have done.  This is a way I can encorage others, no matter where on the journey I am...

~ Traveller Gal, out!

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