Many people have asked me why I'm going on the World Race. Here's my answer.
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has appointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified." – Isaiah 61:1-3
Jesus read this passage from Isaiah in the synagogue at Nazareth at the beginning of His ministry – asserting His divinity and Messianic job description, so to speak. Notice the priorities of the Savior: freedom, justice, comfort, and righteousness for the broken. Our God, the Author, Creator, and Designer of love and mercy, came not for those who have it all together, but for those who are broken, who are weak, who are in chains.
Through His perfect life on earth and His death in our place, our shackles of guilt are shattered and the binding chains of corruption fall to the floor. The Word of God became flesh, and by the Spirit and Grace in Him, gave over the darkness to light, and gifted the blind with sight. The cross is easy to object because it is so hard to fathom. This kind of transforming love is so foreign to us – it can only be found trickling from the pierced hands and feet of a Savior, gripped by a supernatural adoration for His people. Christ's feet were propelled in ministry and His hands were held steady on the cross when He remembered ME and His deep love for me. Oh praise the One who paid my debt!
Because I am a new creation in Christ, the same Holy Spirit that consumed Jesus also indwells ME. For that reason, His mission on earth becomes mine. His ministry outlined in Isaiah 61 is now my own.
So I go, striving for justice and waging war on evil, on hate, and on wrong, not only because I mirror the life of Christ in my own – the Cross life – but because I know the feelings of captivity, and subsequently, the joys of freedom. I was once DEAD in my sin. I know what it's like to be in chains, but I know the One who holds the keys.
On my journey, I will encounter injustice. I will see evil. I will see pain. I will see physical bondage as well as spiritual. This captivity breaks the heart of our Father, and He will use the broken hearts of His followers to bring about His purposes in the world – freedom, justice, hope, and security. He will proclaim liberty to those being physically trafficked by human oppressors and those trapped in spiritual bondage, being trafficked, deceived, and entrapped by guilt and sin. Both sets of chains cause us to weep with our Father and should spur us into action.
Truth is, if you are a follower of Christ, you are on mission for freedom: to loose the chains of physical captivity, and through the fullness of Christ in you, shine a light on spiritual bondage and the need for a Savior. On my journey, I will meet individuals created for freedom but forced into slave labor or prostitution. I am praying for God to use my team as freedom-fighters for those we meet. And more than that, I will be given the blessing of bringing the Word of God to those who may have never heard it. Out of the 7 billion people in the world, 2.87 billion have LITTLE OR NO ACCESS TO THE GOSPEL. Billions of people have literally never heard of the name of Jesus Christ. You have a truth inside you – I urge you, don't keep it to yourself. Who are you protecting by not sharing? Let me no longer live for my own comforts and desires, letting Jesus take me into Heaven and giving me joy and fulfillment, with my head in the sand. There are lives that are dependent upon hearing the Word of God – the Word that you have inside you. As for me, I will no longer play while others perish! Flee from complacency and comfort. Risk your ego and your self-protective tendencies so that others may hear truth. Lay down your life so that others may live.
This is my goal for my journey. This is what I pray for my mission. As I stand beneath the cross and prepare to share the LOVE I've received, I ask you to join me. First, let His heart fill your own and share the Good News inside you. Second, prayerfully consider funding me on my journey. I need to raise $15,500 to make this trip possible. Will you help me along on my journey? If you're interested in donating to my cause, click the "Support." link to the left.
Let's stand together. All my love, friends,
Bre
