I sat in the car with a friend a few months ago in Lynchburg as we talked about what the Lor was teaching us. We are both social work majors and we were both preparing for the World Race, she’s actually on the race now, so you should totally check out her blog HERE and read all about what she’s up too! But as we sat there she said something I’ll never forget.
“Missions is simply Jesus beckoning us unto Himself. Everything else is simply geography!”
It’s one of those statements that kind of stops you in your tracks and causes you to re-think everything you grew up believing. Yet, it’s true. Missions is Jesus calling me unto Himself. Allowing me to partake in the glory of His kingdom and the joy of salvation. Period. But, He allows us the honor and glory of going in response to that beckoning. In all reality, I do not know or understand this in its fullness. Yet, I know that the deeper I am out of my comfort zone and the more diverse community I find myself in the closer I feel to the Father’s heart and the more of His glory that is revealed.
I share that, because that statement hasn’t left me. It’s still very real to me in this season of life.
I came home from work the other night and went for a run before dinner. I’ve always enjoyed running, but after sitting in an office for most of the day I love coming home and getting outside to go for a run. I quickly changed clothes and ran out the door. It wasn’t until I was stopped at a crosswalk, waiting to cross the street when I realize which shirt I had on. It was a shirt that my brother, a youth pastor, had made for his youth to wear for a service project. It’s a cool shirt, because essentially it shares the gospel in a few simple pictures. It shows that Jesus, God’s son came, He died, He was buried, He rose again, He went back to heaven, & He’s coming back again. I realized I was wearing the shirt, because a man also waiting at the cross-walk was obviously trying to figure out what my shirt meant.
I pulled out my headphones and spoke to the man. Shortly after saying hello, he asked what my shirt meant. & from that point, on for the next 15 minutes walking down the national mall, we had a conversation about the Gospel. Shortly after saying goodbye to him, the same thing happened again, and I was able to share the Gospel with someone else, simply because of a crosswalk and a logo on my shirt.
I walked around the national mall for a little bit after and just pondered the conversations that I had just had. Conversations, where Jesus did not just reveal a glimpse of His love to two strangers, but revealed His glory to myself all the more.
I’ve loved living in D.C. for a lot of reasons. It’s truly an incredible place. Yet, in full honestly, it’s been one of the loneliest seasons. I find myself almost constantly surrounded by people and things to do. I’ve made some great new friends and meet some really fun people. However, I find myself lonely in the reality that no one really “gets it”, no one is in the same place I am. & that’s not a bad thing, by any means. It’s just a weird place to find yourself. In a city full of people working and striving to become successful, it’s challenging when you’re not in the same place. When success looks different for you. It’s been a great season, but also an interesting season.
As I walked around in the park, the Father remined me all the more that missions is life and my life existed for missions. My entire existence is to draw closer to the Father and help other do so in the process. & if I’m not careful I will overcomplicate that into something totally different that it is.
Yes! Sometimes it means moving to a foreign country for the rest of your life to share the Gospel with an unreached people group. Yes, at times it means surrendering your plans to go on an 11-month mission trip. But, it also means just being willing to stop running and take your earphones out long enough to have a conversation with someone. It also means just slowing down long enough to see the people around you in your everyday and love & lead them to Jesus.
