Our Mission Field

The missions conference here at Bryan has definitely been amazing. Although I don't feel the Lord calling me to oversees missions as part of my vocation, the messages have definitely convicted me more deeply of things I knew needed changing in my life (like getting my focus more directly on the Lord and getting my priorities straight). I have been struck again with the importance and value of spending time developing a relationship with our great and mighty and powerful God. He is EVERYTHING. He is SO REAL and He is at work doing huge things in the world in response to the prayers of believers. HE is what we exist for. Our purpose is to glorify Him.

How do we glorify Him? Not by getting so caught up with schoolwork and socializing that we neglect to spend time with Him. Not by pursuing our career/vocation (even if it's what He has called us to do) with such intent of purpose that our focus is taken up with that and neglects the One who called us to it and with whom we must be actively developing/nurturing a relationship in order for our vocation to have any meaning at all. Like one of the speakers said today -- it's not about what we can do for God. It's about Him working through us. We just have to be available and willing to let Him use us as He will.

And for those of you who may be frustrated because you're feeling like to be a good Christian means you have to pack up and devote your life to oversees missions, and yet you feel like God isn't calling you there, be assured that being a missionary is no more holy of a job than being a lawyer, doctor, lumberman, trash collector, computer programmer, or housewife and stay-at-home mom. Your mission field is wherever God calls you to and it is just as important as serving in the jungles of South America or the deserts of Africa. And we don't have to feel like we're serving God any less when we're not "preaching" the Word or otherwise verbally sharing the gospel with our co-workers. Yes, we need to be open about our faith, but we also need to realize that the biggest part of our witness can be just LIVING as children of God are called to live.

I love giving my dad as an example. He works at a sawmill with a bunch of unsaved people. He doesn't wave his Bible in everybody's faces, but neither is he reticent to share his faith if the opportunity arises. Without a word said, however, his co-workers can tell that he is different. He is a man of honor, integrity, and honesty. He works hard and he doesn't try to cut corners like the rest of them do. My dad isn't terribly popular because the darkness hates the light, and yet some of his co-workers have surprised him by coming to him to share their problems or ask advice, and even ask for prayer. He is a witness to them just by walking the Christian walk daily and by being a hard and honest worker. It's not remotely easy, however. The environment my dad works in wears down on him like you wouldn't believe and he is often frustrated and discouraged. Nonetheless, he is striving to be faithful where God has placed him, and God will bless that.

In simple terms, I suppose the moral of this story is to be faithful where God has placed you. NEVER neglect to seek Him first. He is all that matters. Without Him, we are nothing. Our efforts are worthless. If we try to do things on our own, our life will be empty and meaningless. By His strength, may we strive to walk worthy of His calling. I entreat you to never let schoolwork or friends come between you and your time with the Lord. He must come first. Everything we tend to focus on is temporal and fleeting, but our relationship with God will last forever and we must set our eyes on things that are eternal.

I will be perfectly honest and say that this is something I struggle with greatly. Satan is trying to destroy my effectiveness for the Lord by distracting me and deceiving me into believing that other things are more pressing than reading my Bible or praying and I can just do that later. Well, guess what? "Later" usually never comes. Don't fall for his lies. Keep your eyes set on Jesus and He will do mighty things through you! He has something big in store for each one of us -- something great He wants to do with our lives -- and may we be attentive to His voice and be ready and willing to follow Him wherever He wishes to lead us. How can we hear His voice if we are only focused on the many other noises and distractions in our lives?