During this weeks Pastoral Bible Class several questions were asked in regards to Shadow Mission and Mission. As the questions were being raised and answered be various individuals, a thought hit me. Of course it may just be my brain working over time. One of the questions that sort of took me on a brief journey was whether individuals in the Bible, Like Esther, completed their mission in the one act that is recorded in the Bible. The Bible, though a historical book that spans many generations, only gives us brief glimpses into the lives of those who are mentioned. Very seldom are we given "over the years" coverage of lives like Moses, David or Paul. However, if these men are examples of the others mentioned, there is a great possibility that there were continual missions in their life. Often time, one mission lead to the next mission. Maybe, there were small missions that fulfilled a greater mission.
I think many times we think of missions being something big that makes a grand stage. But many times it may take back stage to a someone else's "grand" mission, like Mary the mother of Jesus, Martha, Mary Magdalene, Jonathan, or Eliezer. All of these individuals had a very important mission of being a support to help others fulfill their mission. I mean after Jesus forgave and healed (spiritually) "Evangelist" Magdalene she became a follower of Jesus. We are not told the extend of her support in his ministry - and no we are not going to include the Da Vinci Code's belief- until we see her later at his Resurrection. Do your really think all she did was become the first to declare the gospel? Is it possible that she was apart of Jesus marketing/evangelistic team? Her daily mission may not seem very big, but every mission (no matter how many pats on the back you don't get or if no one writes it in history) is important to God.
I think its like Rick Warren put it in simple term - live everyday of your life on purpose. There is a daily mission, but we have to be sensitive to God to fulfill it. We may never know what it is until after it is done. My mission today may be to call a member who has been going through spiritually or to pray for that person who came to mind for know reason. You see our mission or purpose is not always clear to us at the moment. But I think that is why we pray for God's wisdom and guidance each day. "Lord order my steps in your will today..."
I have to say that I believe that every believer has a continual mission and purpose. There is a our daily mission and then there may be our MISSION. It just may not seem "grand" enough to us to call it a mission. But if that's what God purposed for you today - then its the mission that he gave to you.
The floor is open...
*please refrain from using individuals names (those who may have been seen in the news in a negative light) as this is a public forum meant to encourage believers.
3 comments:
I truly agree that we have daily missions. Pleasing God is a daily mission. If we are pleasing him surly we are touching people lives everyday. I don't feel we only have one true missions but many. Each mission whether great or small is important in God's eyes. I agree also that we should be praying daily to fulfill each task that God has assigned to us each day. If we do that and truly allow God to use us guess what! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
What I think and what The Word actually says might be two things. I think when we go onto glory, we want to believe that God will say "Well done, O good and faithful servant." I think it is more about doing the will of God than concerns about missions (be it daily or once.)
I think that often times we are so consumed with the shadow mission that we almost miss the actual mission. For some busy work around the church can be a shadow mission, when the true mission may be to make God's will your will. God's will may be to get out of the church and witness to the lost in the local area, or to encourage a family member to seek salvation. The true mission may not be on a grand scale, knowing the will of God is mission first.
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