Pull up the stakes and go! I’m talking to you. Something extraordinary is bound to happen.
The nations are calling. You must go.
“God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear him!” –Psalm 67:7. I once heard it said that this is the Great Commission of the Old Testament. And we know the Great Commission of Jesus in the New Testament. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” –Matthew 28:19
I want to begin by saying that you can go. As products of our given societies, specific inhibitions weigh on us. I’ve placed inhibitions on myself and on my Christian faith throughout my 24 years. We have a tendency to morph things, including Biblical truths. We have an inclination to make exceptions. Most times, the exceptions sound reasonable. This often happens within the realm of foreignmissions. It is valid that one can support missionaries through prayer and finances, and I believe that everyone is called to do this in some capacity. Some are exceptionally blessed to give of their resources in order to enable and mobilize individuals that burn to bring Light into dark places. I am thankful for these folks, for if it were not for these people, I would not be in Phuket, Thailand at this moment. I also believe that people are called to reach out to those in their communities stateside, or wherever they may be. Without this call on a life, Light would be lacking in Middletown, Delaware and Grand Rapids, Michigan. But I believe that the people who can identify themselves in these categories (myself included) are called to something greater.
Are you willing to go away? Even for a short bit? One month? How about just ten days?
It’s true that not everyone needs to abandon his or her home and move to the Amazon, living amongst villagers in stilt-raised huts. On the contrary, all of us have an even greater call, which is to abandon everything. Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 16:24-25, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” There we have it. The call of Jesus is to forsake more than our homes and families. More so, it is to forsake our very selves.
As sons and daughters of the King, we are gifted with the honor of being part of this legendary redemption story. This includes our own stories and the stories of others. It’s a beautiful thing. In Let The Nations Be Glad, John Piper emphasizes, “Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” Dear sisters and brothers, there are still lots of lost people in this world who need Love. I’ve seen them, met them, and watched many of them turn to Christ upon hearing. A young man in Uganda, a little girl in Moldova, an old woman in Nepal, and hundreds of others. These people might not have seen the Way to eternal Love and Life if it weren’t for my teammates and I. And I will dare to say that there are people out there for you to share this news with.
The Father also captures your heart in the process. Something extraordinary happens when you get out of your element and shift your focus. It’s indescribable. Serving porridge to barefooted orphans in tattered uniforms. Walking hours in the hot Nepal sun with an empty stomach to tell those few families about the great possibility of salvation. Handing out winter coats at a shelter in Philly. Through serving others and loving the forgotten, you are the hands and feet of Christ. You actually begin to believe that you are the aroma of Christ. It puts life…this life of following Jesus into perspective. If you don’t think you’re ready, you are. Believe it.
So, pull up the stakes and go. Let the inhibitions melt away. Go to Chicago, to Mexico City, to Papua New Guinea, or come to Phuket and visit me…
so that all can say that He is beautiful and find delight in worshipping Him, knowing that they have a place with Him forever.
“The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few…” – Matthew 9:37
P.S. Don't worry about the money. That is the LEAST of your worries. Happy travels!
