Motivation. What motivates us to do the things we do? What motivates us to seek God? What motivates us to serve others?
What motivated me to leave the comforts of home and embark on the World Race? This is the one question I have probably been asked more than any other about this journey. Even now, I get many emails asking “why are you doing this?”
And, I have always given the expected and somewhat “churchy” answer “well, God called me to go”.
As I was riding along this morning on the way to VBS at a local school here in Pretoria, South Africa I found myself asking that same question “why am I here?”.
Honestly, it is the first time since being here that I have really felt like I belonged here and it is the one of the first times that God spoke clearly to my heart and confirmed my decision. And yet the question loomed. What motivated me to come?
Let’s leave the “churchy” answers behind and look more honestly about the answers. I am not even sure there is a clear answer, persay, but there were definitely some motivating factors.
Passion and love for others was certainly a part. I have a deep love for people, especially those people that may not be as blessed with material things as I am. And I truly want to live my life in light of Jesus’s words: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48
Obedience was certainly a part of my decision. I truly believe that as Christians we have a responsibility to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Paul makes it very clear in Romans that we must go and tell those who have not heard. “And, how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10:14
I am honored to be one that God has called to go and tell them. I am also humbled at the responsibility and take my role in the Kingdom very seriously.
Thirdly, I believe one of the greatest reasons I am on this trip is to be able to share with the American church everything that God is doing around the world. Sometimes as Americans it is very easy to sit in church and believe that we have the best that God can offer. We have a great economy, job security, clean clothes, nice homes, loving families and friends, so all of that must mean that God must love us most.
I was definitely guilty of this attitude. I thought that I really had seen the best God could offer me. Yes, I had some hardships, but I certainly had a full tummy and didn’t worry about how I was going to pay my bills. This is not to say that many Americans don’t struggle with these things, because I am good friends with many who do, but even many of them believe that they have God figured out and have seen His glory.
Friends, it is not so.
There is a God out here that is bigger and more amazing than ANYTHING I have encountered in the States. This is a God who truly heals people. And not just takes away a headache, but blind people can see! This is a God who provides. Many days there are people who literally can not heat their homes, they pray and the next minute a lady pulls up with a truck full of firewood. This is a God that gives life and joy. If you could see the children of Swaziland and South Africa you would see a God unlike anything I have encountered in the States. These children have ZERO reason in our eyes to be smiling, yet they absolutely light up a room. They are devout about their faith and can pray unlike anyone I have met. They are joyful and full of songs and truly BELIEVE Philippians 3:20 “Our citizenship is in heaven”. They live like the earth is not their home and that one day all their troubles will be gone.
I want a faith like that. And most of all, I want YOU to have a faith like that.
I truly believe that one of the largest reasons I am on the World Race is to experience the Living God and share Him with you.
Not the God of religion, not the God of Sunday church, but the God that saves, the God that is all-powerful, the God that provides and the God that loves.
Don’t you want to know a God like that?
