Calling, Sending, Going

So I’ve been thinking a lot about my calling lately—this compulsion and urgency I have to go, and once I’ve gone to stay there where I’ve been sent. God has blessed me with a lot of great friends and a fantastic mentor—all people I can bounce ideas off of, open up to, cry with, and share with the joys and hardships of this journey. My friend Andy recently painted me the canvas I’m holding in this picture. It basically sums up how I got to Scotland.

Isaiah 6:1-8

"...I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple... 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!' And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of Him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

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Really, I just feel like I was exposed to the need, which was God’s way of saying directly to me like He said to Isaiah, “Whom shall I send?” As a person who has known the freedom of Christ, I desire to bring God glory by allowing Him to use me in leading others to that freedom. Having no reason not to go I said “Here I am, Send me! I will go.” It seems like an overly simple way to describe my call to missions, doesn’t it? But honestly, God showed me the need, and that's where it all started. I was exposed. Now I'm ruined. I can't just NOT do anything.

I wonder often times how many people there are who God is calling to missions that aren’t realizing and responding to that call. How many are asking the wrong question, “Should I go?” when they should be asking a different question, “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t go?” People ask me “Why Scotland? Why missions? Why Europe?” and I answer back “Why not?” I see a huge need. I see that there isn't enough people responding to meet that need. I see that I am able and willing....so why not?

In essence, I’m living a normal life and working in fulltime ministry, I’m just doing it in a different country. It doesn’t sound as scary when I put it like that, but that’s exactly how it is. I am not saying you don’t have to be “called” to missions and that it’s a lifestyle that anyone would fit. I am saying that I believe there’s a lot more people who God is calling, and they’re not responding. I realize I may be (or definitely am :o) biased, but I really am trying to look at this objectively. I have a Scottish friend here who recently donated a significant amount of money to my ministry (enough to pay almost 2 months rent!). He said to me, “I just wanna bless you and felt when i was speaking to you and praying for your financial needs, I just felt God saying - "Well, you can help" - or maybe it was just common sense. Either way it’s cool.” Common sense, aye? I wish more people used common sense when making decisions about giving and going to missions. My friend saw a need, evaluated his own resources, calculated that he had the ability to meet the need (at least in part), and so he did. He didn’t wait for a sermon or worship song to play on his emotions and move him to a place of willingness. He didn’t ask “why?”, he asked “why not?” and, finding no valid reason not to, he gave. I have so much respect for that!

And so I'm wondering, why don’t people go? I have noticed that when someone from the States feels like God is calling them to fultime ministry they almost always automatically assume they're supposed to stay in America to minister. If they're open they might ask "Am I supposed to be in foriegn missions?" But what if the paradigm was flipped? What if every person that felt God calling them to fulltime ministry looked around and saw that there's tons of amazing churches, christians, and ministers already in America that are doing a great job at spreading the Gospel. And so instead of assuming they're supposed to stay in the States, what if they all automatically assumed they were supposed to go on the mission field, unless God directed them otherwise? Why are so many people waiting for a burning bush to speak to them, when there is obvious needs around the world, and they are obviously capable of meeting those needs? Here's some common reasons I've thought of:

“I don’t want to give up financial security”

Eph 3:20 "to Him who can do abundantly more than we can ask or think..."
Phil 4:19 "God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

“I don’t want to leave my friends and family”

Matt 16:24-26 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me..."
Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple." (not literal hate, but just that your love for God compared to your love for others would make your love for others look like hate, because your love for God is so much greater)
Ps 73:22 "Yet I am with You always, You hold me by my right hand."
Matt 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matt 12:48-50 "He replied to him, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' Pointing to his disciples, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'" (God give you community)

“I can’t do it, it’s too hard”

1 Peter 5:10 "the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
2Peter 1:3 "His divine power has granted us everything we need that pertain to life and godliness..."
2 Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient, My power made perfect in your weakness."
Jeremiah 1:6-10 "'Ah, Sovereign LORD,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.' But the LORD said to me, 'Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth...'"

“God can’t use someone like me”
Eph 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do."
1 Peter 4:10-11 "As each has recieved a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace...whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength God supplies..."
1Cor 1:26 "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him"
1 Tim 1:15-16 "...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life."
Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

What’s your excuse?

Last weekend my mom heard this song at the end of a church service. She said it reminded her of me and my decision to follow God’s call on my life, so she emailed me the lyrics. They’re pretty inspiring, so at the risk of making an incredibly long blog even longer, I'm gonna pass them on to you…

Matthew West//Out Of Time

So, you're hungry for a taste of the other side
Where the grass is thick and green
But your feet are on familiar ground
Frozen and afraid of what you might lack
Oh, if that's all that's holding you back

Come on, step out of time
Fall out of line
Leave a mark they can't erase
Find your heart and lose your mind
Watch the journey unwind
And let it be a new day
Out of time

How's your story gonna read
When they call your name
And it's all there in black and white?
Will you follow? Or will you lead?
Will you quietly disappear
Or is this whole world gonna know
That you were here?

Come on, step out of time

Fall out of line

Leave a mark they can't erase

Find your heart and lose your mind

Watch the journey unwind

And let it be a new day

Out of time

It's time to be free
It's time just to live what you believe
What you gonna do with the life you're living?
What you gonna make of the time you're given?
When you are free, you have been forgiven
Now come on and step out of time

Once you go, you're gone forever
Don't you know it's now or never
But I can feel a change in weather
Now come on and step out of time