Preparing for Mission
”I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant… I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1Kings 19:10)
Mission has been well defined as “something that one feels he must do because it is his duty” and in our context that something is preaching the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. This is the mission that brings the lost back into the fold of the Great Shepherd – preaching the gospel of salvation. At one time Jesus announced to his disciples something that is still true today: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” There are many people around us who need to be shown the way of salvation, to be given a Word that encourages. Even some potential workers need encouragement; they sometimes sink into the valley of isolophobia (the fear of being alone) the same way Elijah suffered. At this time he made such a desperate and dangerous prayer which the Lord was not ready to answer or even listen to.
The Apostle Peter calls upon every believer to always be prepared to boldly confess their faith in Jesus Christ who is the source and reason for the hope we have (1Pet 3:15). This preparation begins ‘in your hearts’: You make a decision to follow Christ first, and day by day you grow in honoring Him as holy, and in turn He builds in you strength and courage to bring out what is in your heart through your lips as well as actions, in both easy and tough times. Are you ready to preach? Are you prepared to give that answer?
At the deppest of Elijah’s discouragement, God sent an Angel who told him, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” Just as the source of physical strength is physical food, God has food that can revitalize you into Kingdom business – that is the bread of life – the Word of God. As for those disciples, Jesus did not just given them a problem statement; he also told them what to do about it: “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2). This is another resource action – Prayer.
You influence many people – whether at home or at work, your friends or your fellowship, those you know and those you don’t know. Give yourself to God and His mission, and fulfill your call. Martin Smith calls upon the Church is this great song:
Rise up Church with broken wings; Shout to the North and the South;
Fill this place with songs again. Sing to the East and the West,
Of our God who reigns on high Jesus is Saviour to all
By His grace again we’ll fly. Lord of heaven and earth.
God bless you as you give yourself to His work!