How God Called Me To Be A Missionary
It is sometimes tempting to think that God is hiding his will from us. We are tempted to think God is mean and doesn’t want us to find out. For some reason, He wants to make it hard, and wants us to be confused. But does this sound like our heavenly Father who loves us and cares for us?
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)
Our heavenly Father is good! He wants us to know him and wants to give us good things! I don’t mean that He promises good health, abundant wealth, or no problems. Actually, he promises suffering for those who follow him (2 Tim 3:12). In the midst of challenge and difficulty, He leads us and guides us. Do we trust that He is good enough and sovereign enough to lead us to where He wants us to go?
In Acts 9, we read of Saul the Pharisee who should have known what God wanted from him. He had the Scriptures. He had sat under one of the best Bible teachers in the land. And he certainly knew about Jesus... but he hated Him!
On his way to Damascus, this man who was getting God's will for his life horribly wrong was struck to the ground by a light from heaven. God took away his sight and audibly called Saul to Himself. Most Christians will never have such a dramatic call. But in more humble and ordinary ways, God calls each of us. Sometimes we do a good job of listening, but sometimes we don’t. Either way, God will accomplish his purposes in the lives of His children whom he has chosen and loved from before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-5).
I want to share with you a very practical story about how the LORD called me and sent me to the mission field. It is an ordinary story but it is about an extra ordinary God who calls people to himself and into his service. You don't need to been struck by lightning or have a vision in order to know if God's calling you to missions (or to anything for that matter). Through his Word and His people, he makes His will clear as we pray and seek Him (Ps 37:4). And even when we don't get it right, He will set us back on track as He did Saul. If God has called and chosen you from all eternity, setting His love upon you (Eph. 1:4-5), then you can be certain that He has a wonderful plan for your life and He will accomplish it in spite of your sins and weaknesses.
(Sorry for the poor quality of the video. The audio works fine, however)
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