I believe Geometry was my least favorite math to take in high school. I still learned things from it, but not a lot of it made much sense to me. Therefore, the Geometry used in this post will be very simple, I promise. :)
I used to think of missions in terms of a line. A missionary would be sent from one country to another, bringing the good news. The mathematical definition of a line is an extent of length, straight or curved, without breadth or thickness. Therefore, unless something was placed along the path of the line (in between the start and end points), then it would not intersect or come into contact with the line. In the case of my mission this summer, I was thinking: I am going to Tokyo, Japan to minister to the Japanese people there and be a light and bring the gospel to them. I was thinking almost entirely about being a missionary to the Japanese there in Tokyo. That line (heh heh) of thinking was not entirely wrong, just limited.
I thought about home missions in this way as well. You decide what people you are going to minister in your life and what organizations (church, volunteer, school, etc.) you are going to be a part of, and that is where you will be a witness. Whoever is not a part of those specific areas will not come into contact with your line of missions. Again, I don't think it's wrong to be a part of specific ministry organizations and such, it's just limited.
It's limited because the gospel is so much more organic, big, and all-encompassing to be treated as a line. Continuing to use that word organic, the definition of an organic shape (Most any shapes found in the natural world) is: having free-form, unpredictable and flowing in appearance. The gospel doesn't have definite shape because it's supposed to go everywhere! It shouldn't be confined to a man-made shape or line, because it should move and grow wherever you, the believer, are.
What I have learned about this mission internship so far (and I haven't even officially started it yet!), is that it's about a whole lot more than bringing the Japanese people to Christ (though that is an excellent goal). There are so many people I have the ability to influence along the way. There are over 100 people who are receiving my newsletter (some of whom are not believers), over 30 people supported me financially, I am working with several staff and missionaries from Mission to the World, and in three days I will be living and growing with 60+ other interns who are doing something similar to me all around the world. All of this is happening even before I get to Japan, and most of these connections will continue while I am there.
Missions isn't about going for two months to a foreign country to help with a gospel music ministry. Missions isn't about getting out for a day to go door-to-door, and then afterwards retreating back into your comfort zone.
Missions is about blooming and shining brightly where God has placed you, and letting His love and good news blast out of you, reaching to ALL you come into contact with and treating everyone equally because we ALL equally need the gospel.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Unqualified
Unqualified: not officially recognized as a practitioner of a particular profession or activity through having satisfied the relevant conditions or requirements.
Over the past year, the Lord has thrown quite a few things that I have felt "unqualified" for. This internship in Tokyo is one of them. I have struggled tremendously on whether or not I should even go on this trip because of how unprepared I feel for it. I think only the fact that I do not know what to expect settles my emotions and my requirements of myself.
As with anything in life, there can always be someone more "qualified" for a position or opportunity, according to man's standards. Someone that speaks more than a few phrases of Japanese would be better qualified than me. Someone who has their doctorate in music would be better qualified than me. On and on the list goes, of people who could better fill the shoes I was given.
In conjunction with the life changes that the Lord has thrown at me, He has uncovered a large amount of my sin before my eyes. This is another area where I feel unqualified. If I cannot do the daily spiritual tasks, how will I ever be faithful to minister to unbelievers everyday? If I waver in my faith and struggle with unbelief, how will I ever be able to lead someone to faith in Christ? This is the larger part that concerns me.
These questions and thoughts have been rolling around in my head for some time, causing stress and worry. I have felt trapped and confused.
I was listening to a sermon today which was talking about four promises that the Lord wants to give in our lives. This sermon was specifically talking about the second cup, which is deliverance from the power and guilt of sin (which can only happen after the first cup: salvation). The pastor explained that this is something that will continue throughout our entire Christian lives, but we still have to progress on to the third and fourth cups, which are discovering God's purpose in our life and our place in the body of believers, respectively. The pastor stated that if you are already a Christian, the devil tries to keep you stuck at the second cup. He tries to keep you from ever fulfilling God's plan for your life.
I now have discovered that those questions and thoughts I have been struggling with are simply lies. Untruths told to keep me trapped.
Moses didn't feel qualified to speak to Pharaoh or to lead God's people, but the Lord chose Him. God tends to choose some of the most unlikely people to carry out His will.
Our theme verse for all of the interns this summer is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
I understand this verse on a deeper level and I pray that the Lord will continue to permeate it through my heart this summer, and that I would trust His will! Praise Him for His truth which uncovers lies, His light which dispels the darkness!
Over the past year, the Lord has thrown quite a few things that I have felt "unqualified" for. This internship in Tokyo is one of them. I have struggled tremendously on whether or not I should even go on this trip because of how unprepared I feel for it. I think only the fact that I do not know what to expect settles my emotions and my requirements of myself.
As with anything in life, there can always be someone more "qualified" for a position or opportunity, according to man's standards. Someone that speaks more than a few phrases of Japanese would be better qualified than me. Someone who has their doctorate in music would be better qualified than me. On and on the list goes, of people who could better fill the shoes I was given.
In conjunction with the life changes that the Lord has thrown at me, He has uncovered a large amount of my sin before my eyes. This is another area where I feel unqualified. If I cannot do the daily spiritual tasks, how will I ever be faithful to minister to unbelievers everyday? If I waver in my faith and struggle with unbelief, how will I ever be able to lead someone to faith in Christ? This is the larger part that concerns me.
These questions and thoughts have been rolling around in my head for some time, causing stress and worry. I have felt trapped and confused.
I was listening to a sermon today which was talking about four promises that the Lord wants to give in our lives. This sermon was specifically talking about the second cup, which is deliverance from the power and guilt of sin (which can only happen after the first cup: salvation). The pastor explained that this is something that will continue throughout our entire Christian lives, but we still have to progress on to the third and fourth cups, which are discovering God's purpose in our life and our place in the body of believers, respectively. The pastor stated that if you are already a Christian, the devil tries to keep you stuck at the second cup. He tries to keep you from ever fulfilling God's plan for your life.
I now have discovered that those questions and thoughts I have been struggling with are simply lies. Untruths told to keep me trapped.
Moses didn't feel qualified to speak to Pharaoh or to lead God's people, but the Lord chose Him. God tends to choose some of the most unlikely people to carry out His will.
Our theme verse for all of the interns this summer is 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
I understand this verse on a deeper level and I pray that the Lord will continue to permeate it through my heart this summer, and that I would trust His will! Praise Him for His truth which uncovers lies, His light which dispels the darkness!
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