“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of
our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its
shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who
endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and
lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2, 3)
I confess that as one involved in missions for over 15 years
I have taught the major reason the church is on earth is for missions – to
fulfill the Great Commission. I have encouraged people to give more, pray
more, go more, and care more so we can get this job done and hasten the return
of our Lord (Matthew 24:14).
But now, I no longer believe our primary commitment should
be to the task of world evangelism. Instead of committing to the task
first, we must be committed to the Person first. Instead of giving our
all to the Great Commission, we must, first, give our all to the Great
Commissioner.
Actually I always believed this, but assumed it was
understood. Yet, it’s too easy to forget the Person and focus only on the
project. When challenged by images of lost millions suffering in poverty
and spiritual darkness we must never forget there is a God who knows the name
and number of hairs of each of those poor suffering souls; missions was the
passion of His heart long before our heart began to beat.
If we forget that, missions become a heavy task described in
terms of obligation and responsibility. But when we remind ourselves that
missions is God’s heart, God’s idea, and He cares more for the lost than we
ever could, we shift this overwhelming burden off us and onto the only One big
enough to bear it.
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| Sirisha-Tenali |
Missions is our participation in what God is already doing,
in fact, has been doing for 6,000 years or longer. Reaching the lost is
God’s mission and we have the joyful privilege of walking and working with Him
as He accomplishes it through us.
He will do it through you as you pray for missionaries and
the lost. He is doing it through you as you write a check to support one
of God’s sent ones. He will do it through you as you go on a short term
trip or change your life radically. However He chooses to use us, it is
our privilege to participate with Him in what He is doing.
Participation may involve sacrifice, struggle, and sorrow,
but we don’t accept these costs out of a sense of duty, but as an expression of
love. I am tired of being committed to a task. I want to go back to
my first love and be committed to a Person.
I am exhausted from carrying
the responsibility for world evangelization on my tiny shoulders. I am
ready to put it back on the strong shoulders that bore the wooden cross and
bore the sins of the world.
I have found this does not actually change what I do, but it
changes everything about my attitude and perspective. It is now a joy to
join my heavenly Father in doing what delights His heart; sharing Good News
about the great things He has already accomplished to reconcile the world to
Himself. I get the privilege of praying, giving and even going to let God
fulfill His dream through me.
Let us focus like a laser on the Great Commissioner and I
guarantee we will be more effective in our efforts at the Great Commission.
--Russ Sharrock
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When David Livingston sailed for Africa
the first time, a group of his friends accompanied him to the pier to wish him a safe journey. Some of them, concerned for the safety of the missionary, re-minded
him of the dangers which would confront him in the dark land to which he was going. In fact, one man urged Livingston to remain in England. In
response, David Livingston opened his Bible and read aloud the portion of our
Lord’s last recorded words in Matthew's Gospel, chapter 28, “And surely I am with you always...” Turning to the one who would have prevented his going, the missionary
said: “That, my friend, is the word of a Gentleman. So let us be going — (Taken
from The Pilgrim).
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Pray for the Unreached Bathudi of India
Population: 247,000
World Pop: 247,000
Main Language: Oriya
Main Religion: Hinduism
Bible: Complete
Status: Least-Reached
Christ-Followers: Few, less than 2%
Asia International Mission is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry.
All gifts are tax-deductible and 100% of donations are used as designated
