The work of Missions is often glamourised, filtered by rose coloured idealism and youthful enthusiasm, but true growth into the role of Missions requires a second look in the call to sacrifice.
It means choosing again eternal joy over temporary discomfort. It means choosing the lonely and desolate places, the isolated pathways of the Spirit to be endued with power from on high to shake a generation.
It means choosing to serve when others belittle, demean you, when your worth and contributions are criticised, knowing that your true aim is to please an audience of One.
It means dying out to a “comfortable” life and taking up the call that has echoed in the hearts of missions minded for centuries: how can they believe on whom they have not heard? How can they hear if there is no preacher? How can they preach unless they are sent?
Unless we choose to be light, we are asking the darkness to win. We’ve been given the light of the world, the greatest commission in the world, “Go Ye,”
Looking around for “someone to go?” Let the penny drop. He was taking to you, to me, and we must tell darkness, “you cannot comprehend the light.”
So to the communities, lands, nations, and continents, I now say, from a position of maturity, from the vantage point of budding wisdom and experience,
I will STILL GO.
I will shine the light my Father gives me so others can discover “the Way.”
And I know, with as yet unrealised dreams and visions still inside of me, it will be worth it.
It will be worth it ALL.
I get that some people won’t get it. Some will question why I went, why I go, why I continue to walk on planes away from all I hold dear to the allure of lands and people as yet unknown, but I will still go.
I get that some people will not understand the passion that burns inside of me, and that they will never be privy to the cries that touch my Father’s heart in the night seasons, but I will still go.
I get that this means signing up for betrayal, deep rejection and seasons of pain to produce the character and compassion necessary to change a nations heart. But I will still go.
I get that this will sometimes, and for some seasons, require walking alone in my own garden of gethsemane, and choosing again to take His cup.
But I will Still go.
Everybody wants the party. We all want to join the celebration at the pearly gates, but we must, we must be willing to pay the price.
Paul, perhaps the greatest Missionary the world has known, said it like this, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it finish the work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus– the work of telling others about Him…” He spoke of the unknown trials ahead, he spoke of future suffering, but knowing this, he still got on the boat.
In today’s vernacular, that’s standing at departure gates, whispering one last “I love you,” through choked back tears. It’s knowing somehow, He gives you grace to make that seemingly endless journey one more time. It’s getting up again while in a valley of discouragement and saying “I still believe.”
It looks like teaching Bible studies, leading worship, and that late night “Jesus” moment over coffee with someone who’s just been introduced. It looks like agonizing labour and travail, full on battle, and finally unlimited victory when Jesus steps in. It’s turning around at heavens gates, while others walk alone, and saying, “Hey, look, they came with me.”
I think Paul understood, revival will not come with comfortable Christianity and complacent prayers. Revival will come when we partner with the one who has ALL power and choose again to say,
One more time,
“Yes, Jesus. I will. still. GO.”
*Disclaimer to my sponsors: These are just me and Jesus train thoughts I felt led to share. I love Missions! It’s the best! But felt it on my heart today…
Mission Now: Persuing the call from a position of maturity
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