Asking God to change your life through missions
Come Selfish—what an odd way to begin a blog about serving God through short term missions. The title of this entry, and the attitude behind it, grew in my heart after observing short-term mission teams in action over a number of years.
Sometimes I was part of those teams, making so many mistakes as I sought to bring God to the people I was serving. Later, I have been working alongside these teams as I live in Guatemala, even now continuing, at times, to make the mistake of thinking how valuable my service is to the work of His kingdom.
More often, now, I catch the error. I repent of my ego which leads me to believe that I am indispensible to God’s plan. I grieve my attitude that leads me to think I am bringing Jesus to place He already is. And I am awestruck afresh that the Lord, God of the Universe, would privilege me to be part of His plan to reach or encourage someone, whether in a foreign land or next door. Ultimately I realize my call is not to serve, but to surrender.
John Piper, in his book Let the Nations Be Glad writes that the ultimate purpose of missions is not evangelism. It is not service. It is, as is all of life, a call to worship. When I first read these words I couldn’t quite get my head around them. I am commanded to share Jesus. (Matt. 28:28) I am commanded to serve. (John 14, washing feet).
As I read further, and explored more, I came to understand that worship, as Piper describes it, is making yourself available to God, to do whatever He wills. Worship is saying, with Isaiah, “Here I am, Lord. Send me.” Worship is saying with Mary, “Be it done onto me according to your Word.” Worship is saying with Abraham as he takes Isaac up the mountainside, “I will obey.”
Worship, then, is surrender to the heart of God. It is trusting in His goodness as we whole-heartedly follow were He leads us.
Come then, to Guatemala or wherever God might lead you to worship. Come selfish for more of Him. Come selfish to experience Him in a new and perhaps unfamiliar way. And come selfish to be changed by Him as you experience His heart.
Let God worry about transforming others. Ask Him to transform you through the experience. Only then can we be used by Him to
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