I was looking at one of those missing persons websites today, where they have all these photos of young people who have disappeared, either because they were runaways or were kidnapped. The situation seems so hopeless when you scroll through hundreds and hundreds of faces, and wonder how in the world anyone will ever recognize any of them. It seems so futile.
Then I wondered what would I do if it was one of my own kids? To what extent would I go to find my own son or daughter? Words can’t express the empty, panicked anxiety that I would feel. Any parent can identify with that. I would stop at nothing, spare no expense, spend every waking moment desperately searching to find my lost child. I wouldn’t rest day or night, for how could my eyes find sleep as long as my son or daughter was lost? I would gladly give up all my resources to find them, searching every shelter, every slum, under every bridge. Their face would be on every website, every milk carton, every peg board as I would plead with the world to help me find my child.
My heart became filled with compassion for these parents. and also for the children, who are either enslaved or running away from a place they didn’t feel loved or wanted.
Then I thought of the heart of God and how it must break for the millions of the men and women around the world who are lost, without the Savor. Every one of them is His son or daughter. Whether they are the prodigals, who for whatever reason are running from their Father, or are enslaved by their sins, addictions, or circumstances, God’s love for them burns even more intensely than my love for my own children. Every one of them was created with special purpose and God has paid the ultimate price to redeem them. Jesus paid the ransom with His own blood to bring them home.
From this perspective, it’s no wonder the Bible says that all of heaven rejoices when just one sinner comes to repentance. Have you ever been in a stadium and felt the awesome power of the crowd screaming after a goal or touchdown? Can you imagine that multiplied by a thousand thousands as the whole host of heaven celebrates over one single soul? Wow, God certainly loves us immensely!
Do you want to do something tremendously pleasing to the heart of God? Easily, the most powerful thing that you can do to align your life with the will of God, is to answer the call to become a fisher of men. Jesus said that the Son of man has come to seek and save that which was lost.
God could have chosen to use all sorts of means to spread the gospel, but He has chosen to use US. We are supposed to be the hands and feet of Jesus. God is the Father to the fatherless. Jesus is the friend of sinners. But how does He do it? Through you and me.
But, you protest, you can’t open your mouth. You wouldn’t know what to say. Okay, then support someone who does. Not everyone is called to go out onto the mission field. If everyone was supposed to be going, then there wouldn’t be anyone left to do the sending!
There are missionaries all over the world who need your prayer and support. When you give financially to a missionary, you become a missionary. You take part in the work.
Imagine if it were your child that was lost. What would you be willing to give in order to bring your own son or daughter home?
Could you give just a fraction of that to help reach the world for Christ?
How are you supporting mission work today?