I love missions. I love traveling. I love living amongst other people. I love the discomfort of it. I love learning about new cultures and speaking new languages. I love seeing things with fresh and uncertain eyes. It's hard. It's dark. It can get dirty. And I love it.
My husband and I met over this shared passion and we have maintained it despite living "normal life" here in the states until God calls us out again. The thing is, it doesn't matter where you are, we are ALL called to missions. Maybe we're not all called to live in a hut in Africa but we are ALL called to be missional in our speaking, acting, and living. To pray for missionaries. To send missionaries. To be missionaries daily in our community - we ALL have a job to do.
Recently my husband and I were sharing about this passion and we were told by well-meaning Christian people that it was a waste of their time to listen and learn about missions. Now, aside from the clear-cut statements in the Bible negating this opinion, I have something else to share with you, well-meaning, seat-warming, perfectly-comfortable Christian -- your job is not just to WAIT for Heaven.
You see, this world is hard. It's dark. It's crappy. It hurts. It's broken.
Jesus came to rescue us from this hurt. To restore the brokenness.
So, why then, would He leave us in the hurt to just sit around and wait for heaven?
Why not just pluck us up the moment we say "I want you in my life, Jesus" and BAM there we are worshipping Him in all His unspeakable Heavenly glory?
Wouldn't that be cruel of this oh-so-good-God to leave His children hurting, if it were not for a greater purpose?
No, it's not just purely so we can "know and trust Him" better because the Bible is clear that now we see dimly and know in part what we will fully see and understand in Heaven. There is no knowledge that must be attained before receiving our admittance into Heaven.
No, it's not to "do good deeds", grow to a certain stature of Faith, or earn Heaven in any way - that's a foundational pillar in many worldly religions - but Jesus says it is by HIS grace ALONE that we get into Heaven.
No, it's not because He is unkind, unloving, or punishing us. Jesus took the wrath of sin on the Cross and the Father now stands to welcome us with open arms.
So why?
Why leave us here in the world of misery, cancer, divorce, chronic pain, broken governments, hunger, hatred, death, miscarriage, and sin?
So that we may point others to Christ.
So that:
DESPITE the darkness, we can lead others to the Light.
DESPITE the hurt, we can show that there is a PEACE the surpasses all understanding.
DESPITE the hopelessness, we can introduce others to the Author of Hope, who will restore all things.
That we would look to our family, our neighbors, our co-workers, our enemies, and even to our opposites across the globe and say "There is something better than this world!" To take their hands, teach them and lead them to join us at the foot of the cross and worship God together - no, Christian, this is NOT a waste of your time.
This is your job. This is why you still have breath in your lungs.
This is your mission.
Go in love.
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