Tuesday, February 2, 2010

a question worth answering..

I have been asked this question more than once the past year or so:

Why would you go on "missions" trips when there are so many needs here in America?

In all honestly and immaturity, most of the time this question surfaces, I've wanted to roll around on the ground, kicking my legs in a tantrum until they just leave me alone. Not because I didn't want to answer, but because often I have felt like they didn't want my answer.

So here you have it. It's the long and short of my heart -messed up with a whole bunch of stuff God has been revealing to me in Perspectives.

WHY?..
There was this man- we will just call him Abe. Abe was blessed by God. The reason that he was blessed was that he in turn would be a blessing to the nations of the world.. & that they would worship God.
There was Isaac, there was Jake. Jake became Israel, Israel became a great multitude, and wham, God blessed Israel- so that Israel would be a blessing.. to the nations, cause God's heart is that He would receive worship from every nation..
That is God's plan; that in the end a multitude will be worshiping from every tribe and nation.
Then it was God-Israel-Nations.
WHY was Israel blessed; God blessed Israel so that it would be a light to the nations. God's plan is for All peoples.. to worship Him.

So then there was Jesus. Jesus was a lead character in the gospels, along with the Pharisees. The third set of characters are the disciples caught in the middle.. sorting things out.
The Pharisees had it mental; they forgot their bless-er.
& they thought were special, that those pork eating uncircumcised bad bad people couldn't be in on the "God plan."
and Jesus did things all backwards and not according to their expectations.
So God skipped over "Israel" and replaced it with the "church"
So now it's something like
God-Church-Nations
God blesses His church so that it can be a light to the nations, &.. all Worship Him.

I know it's kinda scrappy wrote. But go & look for yourself.. look for His glory through the nations. from the promise to Abe in Genesis woven through to Rev 7:9..

I love America. I love my family & I love Panera. I love my bed. I love my friends. Did I mention that I love Panera?
The church in America has been blessed, but what happens when we no longer are a blessing to the nations? When we forget our bless-er, simply maintaining our blessing? What happened in the old testament with Israel or the Pharisees?

How often do we act in fear and question the above in our own lack of action in America or elsewhere?

Our speaker tonight was great, the class is awesome, he wrapped it up with this illustration:
If you are a Mormon in America & you graduate from college & go home to tell your parents that you are heading out on a mission for the next two years, their response is typically, "you bet you are."

If you are a Christan in America & you graduate from college & go home to tell your parents that you are heading out on a mission for the next two years, their response tends to fall more like, "you need to start paying off your debt, building a portfolio, you won't be home for the holidays.."

God's plan isn't:
God- Me.
or
God-Church.
or
God-America.
It is still
God-Church-Nations.
He blesses His Church so that the nations would be blessed and know Him, and that worship Him.

His heart is for all nations; whether ours is or not.

I am blessed, but not for me, anymore than Abe's blessing was for himself.
It's not my story to own.

So many times my vision has been jacked.. and I have to keep realigned it with His. I believe that here & there God is seeking true worshipers.
I would love to hear your thoughts & your "perspectives"- really.. no tantrums...

& here's a joke for you..
what do you get when you have an agnostic, dyslexic, insomniac?
A man who can't sleep all night wondering if there really is a "dog?"

ok.ok. i'll let you go...

11 comments:

Heth said...

That was so good Mel, I think you summed it up pretty dang well. Taking a true look at what our own "perspectives" really are is pretty convicting.

Thanks for writing this.

Natalie Joy said...

Here is the thing, too. We aren't all called to the outside nations some of us our "nations" is America. And, when we figure out what/where is our specific calling from God it really doesn't matter what other say. I'm so proud of you! I think you are crazy! In the most incredible way! And I support you 100%!

ShelliGib said...

Yes, I agree with the comment above. Whatever you're called to, that's the important piece. God calls each of us to do different things in different places. Even if it is crazy! Love ya girl!

Tina said...

I love you Mel.

Michelle said...

So... tell me again why you want to go to another country when God has a need here?

Anonymous said...

I love panera too. a lot.
I understand your whole shpeel. Its very thought-provoking. I like the part where you talk about "what happens when we are no longer a blessing to the nations"
I heard a sermon on being comfortable and I fear thats where a lot of churches are these days, they are too comfortable and don't venture out of the ordinary. And when churches get too comfortable, they get to the point of not having a blessing for the nations. What if everyone stayed where they were and in their original churches. I believe that every church would eventually get "too comfortable" and the other nations would be forgotten and every place would be extremely bad. that is why we need people, people who understand this, people like you, and...me?, to go and be the light to those nations, to be the truth, to understand that these places are too comfortable, and to, through God the father, be a blessing to these nations.

i would love to hear back from you mel. please.

-A-

Anonymous said...

you are the best <3

Anonymous said...

and i love panera too!!

melanie said...

Abbers... Im writing back!!! Im wrtiting back Abbers! Im singing! Singing..
Abbie, you are amazing. And I miss you. God moves through your tender heart in such amazing ways & I love to witness it.
Love you much!! & I get to see you soon!!!!

Anonymous said...

i love you too mel. and i love that you can ramble so much about what you are passionate for that day and i want you to keep going but you stop. your crazy, funny, outgoing, and completely nuts, and thats why i love you to pieces!!! =)

Unknown said...

I stumbled across your blog through the Moda Bake Shop. I enjoyed reading your posts, and am asking God to bless you and give you wisdom and courage for wanting all glory to go to Him.

I really felt your heart on the post about people asking you why you have to "go" to another country for missions. Our 30 yr old son, his wife, and 5 young children moved to Haiti April 09. We had the same questions asked of us. I told them to ask God, please. He says "go ye unto all the nations..." and they felt called to go. But it is really hard giving them up. I had to cry this afternoon as the lonesomeness hit. But I'm proud of them.

Would you grant permission for me to copy that particular post into a new newsletter our website has? our 7 yr website has now gone through a much needed update so may not be complete, but our newsletter is up and running. Our web based ministry is www.mustardseedministries.org
and we are just a few believers who get together once a month to work on this project to "point the world to Jesus Christ" and to encourage Christians. We are in Indiana. Not sure if I want to post my email address here, so hopefully you can get back with me. Thank you, Becky