Saturday, March 17, 2012

Why Missions?


One question I am often faced with is, “Why have you chosen missions?” My immediate answer to that question is usually, “I didn’t choose it. God has called me, and I have simply answered, “Here am I, Lord. Send me.” But this answer doesn’t seem to satisfy the question for some. They see a promising young woman who could make something of herself here in the “Land of Opportunity” — a woman who could do anything she sets her mind to, who could find the perfect man, have the perfect family, lead the “perfect” life. Why, then, would she have the harebrained notion to go clear across the world, live in some third-world village, and have a mass of filthy, starving children crawling all over her, playing with her hair, or yanking her arms begging her to play with them?

I had to think on this long and hard. It has always seemed just a natural step in my life. I’ve never fully been able to picture myself doing anything else. I guess If I had to put it in words, one reason I am going to the mission field is that I want to be in a place where God is my everything — a place where He’s all I have, and all I need. I’m not saying that I can’t have this in America; but America is a land so overflowing with blessing, that it is often difficult to truly depend on God for everything you need. But when you step out of this realm of prosperity, and enter an extremely destitute world void of things you even call “basic necessities,” you start spending more time on your knees. You start leaning on the Father for everything. Your faith begins to stretch. “So you want God to break you?” you ask. Exactly. Weariness and depravity are not curses, but gifts of God bestowed so that when we come to a place where we think we can go no further — a place where rest is scarce and fiery trials are hurled at us left and right — we realize the only way we can continue is by flinging ourselves into the waiting arms of the Father. With these gifts, God draws us close to His breast and gives us strength to go just a little further, and a little further. It is only when we rely completely on Him that He is able to show us His power in our lives. I want to see that power. I want to rest on His strength and His alone.
But the biggest reason missions is what I know I am supposed to do is that there is something strong yanking me by the ear — something I can’t even fathom — that constrains me to go. The Bible says that this constraint comes from God’s overwhelming love (2 Corinthians 5:14). Christ not only gave me living water, but He also instilled this water inside me as a well springing up and flowing out of my soul. Water seeks the lowest level, and this water flowing from my soul is seeking the lowest level in the world — the lowest level of poverty, the lowest level of health, the lowest level of hope. Jesus sought out the wounded of society: the deaf, the dumb, the blind, the poor, the needy, the lepers, the lame, the dead, the people who’s hope had long ago deserted them. I want God’s water of life and love to flow through me and settle on these precious people, to heal the wounds life and sin have given them. 
Yes, America needs revival. Yes, America is a mission field ripe unto harvest; but my well of life is seeking that lowest level — the level that has nothing, including my precious Jesus.