All tagged missionary

The message in my morning devotional reading was an interesting one... There have been times when I have listened to missionaries speak at church only to wonder if they truly received the call. There was a sense of the adventurer about them, but not a spirit of prayer and godliness. Sometimes this is evident in what they present as their accomplishments while fulfilling what they believe to be the “Great Commission” ... They speak of doing good things like building homes, working in healthcare, or performing other such concrete worldly deeds. They speak of saved lives but there is no talk of saved souls. They speak of works that any moral man might accomplish, but where is Jesus in them? What I hear sounds at best like a pilgrimage or personal spiritual vacation. What is the great commission really? Let’s explore this.

We consider Jesus to be many things; we call him the Son of God, our Lord, Savior, Redeemer, the Dove of Peace, Lion of Judah, Prince of Peace, Bread of Life, and so many other things, but who was Jesus if not a missionary to the world? That is the thought I would like for us to consider this morning, and bring to the forefront of our attention. This is something He was proclaimed to be in ancient prophesy, and at the moment of His conception.

The hardest question that any missionary faces isn’t “can I go out and do this?”, but rather “is Jesus able to do this through me?” It all boils down to faith, and it begins with the faith of the missionaries themselves. Going out and reciting scripture can be done by anyone, but believing belongs to the disciple, and what is a missionary if not first a disciple?

When we are not praying for one another it is a great loss. So much is gained through the prayers we aim at our own needs, and relationship with God, but when we pray for others it is an act of love that extends the power of our prayer life beyond ourselves, and into the world. Prayer for others is a spiritual missionary event that takes us abroad, beyond our borders, and into the heart, soul, and lives of others. Intercessory prayer is an act that fulfills a great commandment... loving our neighbor.