I'm doing the World Race!
Looking back to August, it's been a tremendous 8 months – difficult but tremendous. I liken the process to that of a caterpillar in a cocoon. I feel I’ve been totally broken down and formed into something new and beautiful. It's been a raw and honest process of sifting through the contents of my heart – the good (faith, hope, love, joy, and the things that stir these up), the not-so-good (sin, brokenness, confusion, pride, lies, wounds, accusations), the wonderings (who, what, why, when, how), and the rest. According to His tender love, His kindness, and His desire to see me made whole, God has brought about a wonderful restoration in me.
Two months ago, on the heels of a life-altering transition, I was daily asking God, "now what?" Before long He brought the World Race before me. My heart stirred a bit. I thought, "God is this You? Are you pointing me in this direction? The World Race?" Initially I wasn't very interested. I had what I thought were some better ideas, but a month (and several small steps of faith) later I determined that this was indeed God opening a door and I decided that I would walk through it. While some are called to their neighborhoods and local communities, I am being called to the nations of the world. My desire is to go where I am directed, and to do what I’m told – to trust God and to obey.
What is this World Race? It is 11 months of missions work in which I will go to multiple countries throughout the world, spending about a month in each nation. I will be part of a squad of about 65 people, broken down into 8 teams. Serving with established local ministries, the focus of the ministry will be on the people that society tends to shun (the orphaned, the trafficked, the impoverished, the ill, the opressed), to extend to these people the love of Jesus through simple acts. We are going to dig in and do some out-of-your-comfort-zone loving.
Please understand, I do not go on a vacation or an escape. I do not seek to delay figuring out what to do with my life. I go because I know what to do. This is it. I accept God’s invitation to accept this assignment, knowing that there is joy and peace and freedom found in obeying Him, and that through my obedience His love and faithfulness will be shown to those to whom I am sent. I do not go to see what I can do, I go to watch what God will do as I take Him at His word and reach out my hand to extend His love, His mercy, and His power.
In some cases we'll go to those who nobody wants, to declare to them the truth that they are wanted. They are precious and desirable and valuable. They offer to all who look upon them an absolutely-unique glimpse into the depths of God’s heart and the wonder of His character. They are loved and wanted by the One who made them.
In some cases we'll go to those who do not know hope – to those called helpless and hopeless – because I know that Jesus can-and-will do what no politician, no paycheck, no NGO, no psychologist, no doctor, no celebrity, no campaign, and no self-help philosophy can do. Jesus can change and restore and completely renew a person forever in an instant. He sends us, His church, to get this done. He sends us in His power and authority and not in our own.
We will pray much and for many people. In some cases people will experience outward and tangible miracles. In others the miracles will happen inwardly. In both cases God touches a person's heart. And when that happens, though nothing may change outwardly, everything changes. There is hope and joy and peace and love unexplainable, even in the midst of poverty, oppression, violence, and strife. When we come into contact with the love of God we are never the same again. He wants people to know that He loves them and desires them. We go to proclaim this love.
To the places we go, the only thing we bring that is of true value we leave behind when we depart. We go sowing seeds of love, hope, life, and joy. Seeds that God will water and bring to maturity after we have gone. The words we will offer won't be empty. The prayers we'll pray won't be vain. When we speak, we speak the very words of life. When we pray we petition the very Creator of the universe in confidence. We go carrying the very Kingdom of Heaven, as ambassadors of the King. We go carrying light into the darkness, life to death, wholeness to brokenness. We go in the strength and power and authority of the One who holds the universe in the palm of His hand, to see His will done among the people He loves and He gave His life for – both to those who know Him and those who do not.
