My school has a week every year entitled "World Outreach Conference". During this week representatives from various missions organizations come, and we have some night chapels and talk about what God is doing internationally. We also have an international fair one night with tables set up for different countries (and lots of AMAZING food). This week is always amazing and moving, and this past week was my last WOC as a student at Toccoa Falls College.
There was something different this time though. In the gym there was a "prayer wall" set up. It was divided up into columns and I was going through it with my World Race track on my heart. I was taking pictures so I could remember people groups for whom I could be praying. It was quite extensive, and as I was working through the lists (alphabetically by country..backwards) I noticed how some countries had significantly more unreached peoples than others, especially a lot of the middle eastern nations. I eventually found Nepal, and it took up half of a column; it broke my heart. Just having a visual display showing how many unreached peoples broke my heart, especially knowing that I will be going to their country.
Then I encountered something strange…I couldn't find a country on one of the columns…then two, three, four… and eventually I came to India, after SIX columns of unreached people groups. That knocked the wind out of me, and I almost started crying (and it takes a lot to get me to cry). So many people haven't heard. I know God is faithful to send people to share the good news, and I'm blessed to be among them. But SO MANY.
I couldn't help but wonder how these people could be reached. It seems impossible, and what can I, one person on a planet of billions, do about it? Even if I could come up with a plan, or even multiple plans, who can say if it would work?
Then two things occurred to me:
1. God is in control. He knows everything that is going on and He has a plan. My job is not to try to put together a plan. Let's face it, His is much better than mine could ever be. My job is to continually seek Him, and out of that I will be able to do His work and be sent out. My focus MUST be on Him, or else I will falter. I will get used up and spit out by this world. He must be my sustainer.
2. Even a person playing a seemingly small role can make a huge difference. Dwight L. Moody was greatly influenced by his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball, in his decision for Christ. Moody revolutionized Sunday School, was a city missionary for the YMCA, he worked as an evangelist during the Civil War for both sides, he opened up the first ministry training school for women, and he opened up a seminary known as Moody Bible Institute. None of this would have happened without Kimball's influence. Being a Sunday School teacher might seem like a small role to play, but wherever you have influence it can make a huge difference.
It might not be my place to reach all, or even just one unreached people group. My place is to seek God, trust His sovereignty and to never underestimate what He can do with whatever role He places before me.
This is the Prayer wall.
Nepal's unreached people groups. And India took up 6 of these!
