The call to #mission is as ubiquitous as prayer. It comes at many times and seasons. It comes when we are young, it comes when we are old, it comes when we least expect it. Don’t listen to any lies disqualifying you from mission: ‘You’re not old enough, smart enough, confident enough, gifted enough, rich enough, young enough..’ for God simply says; ‘Go, and I will be with you’.
In a recent Sunday at our church we had a cross cultural focus after which, in our zoom chat, several folk told their stories of being called to mission. One person after another shared how they had at first felt disqualified from engaging with sharing the gospel in such an intentional way.
All of them detailed how what had ‘sealed the deal’ for them was hearing the stories of others call to mission. This had landed their choice to believe in their own call, leading to fruitful gospel adventures in many places.
‘Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”’ Matthew 9:37-38 NIV
Mission always begins with prayer.
Simple pray for the salvation others will always lead us to a sense of calling and commission. We may not always express it in these terms, but a passion for others to know the grace, the peace and the unconditional love that we have received will eventually overtake us and propel us into mission.
So be careful what you pray.
In Matthew 9:37-38 Jesus instructs his disciples regarding their prayers.
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.””
Immediately after that he comes to them declaring that their prayers have been answered. In effect he says; “Good news! Father has heard your prayers so I’m sending you!’
When we join with Jesus we join with his mission. And his mission was to go. To leave the comfort and glory of heaven and inconvenience himself. For us, at times that will involve travel, at other times it will not. It will however always involve the intentional act of ‘going’. Leaving our comfort zones and positioning ourselves to live out and to speak out the good news of the gospel of the God who comes among us as one of us.