On Wednesday evening our church hosted a commissioning service for missionaries who are newly appointed by the International Mission Board to take the Gospel to the nations.
What a joy and privilege it was to be part of such an evening! It was wonderful to be reunited with old friends, and to make some new ones as well.
My heart nearly burst as I heard the testimonies of these men and women. From different parts of the country. From different backgrounds. With different talents and skills. But all with one thing in common - their willingness to follow wherever the Lord leads. Willingness to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth. Men and women whose lives have been touched by the grace of God, and who are now ready to go and share that grace with a world that so desperately needs it.
These men and women have heard the voice of the Lord calling them, and they have said 'yes'. Soon they will leave their homes and families and all that is familiar to them, and they will set out to unfamiliar places with the good news of Jesus.
We have not all been called to go to the nations, but we have all been called.
Each of us has the same mandate from the Savior that these missionaries have: "as you are going, make disciples". (Matthew 28:19)
"You will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samarian, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8 ESV)
May we be faithful to that mandate. In our cities. In our counties and our states. In our nation. And to the ends of the earth, wherever God leads us.
May we be faithful to pray for those who are taking the Gospel to the nations!
And if we are called to go to the nations, may we be willing to say 'yes'!
"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38)
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