Several years ago, I heard a story that deeply impacted me and continues to do so. This story was quickly woven into the fabric of my heart and mind. This story has frequently made its way into my dialog with the Lord. We talk about it often, and He challenges me with it at least once a week as He teaches me concerning His heart and the ones He loves. Several weeks ago, I talked about one of my personal core values. You can read about it HERE. This is insight into another one of my personal core values that determines how I approach issues and circumstances, and ultimately the direction, of my life.
The Story
This is the story of two ordinary men who spearheaded the Moravian Missions Movement in 1732. (Side note: if you do not know about the Moravian Prayer Movement, I highly encourage you to study it. Short version…the Moravians prayed 24/7 for 100 years, and the outflow of their prayer movement was a missions movement) These two men heard about an island in the West Indies that was home to an atheist slave owner and between 2000-3000 slaves. The slave owner stated ‘No preacher, no clergyman, will ever stay on this island. If he's ship wrecked we'll keep him in a separate house until he has to leave, but he's never going to talk to any of us about God, I'm through with all that nonsense ‘. The two Moravian men were gripped by the eternal condition of thousands of people who were set to live and die on that island without ever hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
These two men sold themselves to the slave owner! They sold themselves into a lifetime of slavery and boarded a ship towards the island. As the ship was leaving the dock, their families were weeping (obviously) knowing they would never see them again. One of the men, seeing the gap between the boat and the shore and knowing there was no going back, raised one arm and shouted his last recorded words ‘MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING’.
Quite frequently, the Lord reminds me of these men and what it means to take up my cross and follow Him. And just as frequently, He asks me ‘Would you do it? Would you go?’ One time, I was praying about human trafficking…and He asked if I would sell myself to a brothel owner to reach the girls that no one else can reach? One time, I was talking with Him about radical extremist terrorists, and He asked if I would go to them… because no one else would and He is consumed with love for them. One time, I was talking with Him about rebel soldiers in Congo and He asked me if I would run to the villages that everyone is running from. Recently, I was praying about the chaos currently erupting in Syria, and He asked again… would I go deep into the darkness, knowing I carry the Unquenchable Light… and knowing I may never come back. … And then I see His face and He shows me something hidden deep inside His heart. And I see how He desperately loves them and desires for them to be reconciled to Him. I see His piercing, all consuming eyes that burn with love and passion for them.
How could I ever look into His face and say no?!?
I don’t know where He will lead me. I don’t know which question I will answer and He will say ‘Let’s Go There’. But let it be said of me that the cry of my heart is ‘MAY THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING’.
