His Mission, Our Mission

If I asked what is the greatest mission of your life? What would your answer be? This is an important question that I consider often. A couple of years ago my answer would have been; to give God glory through my life. To get my degree, work, and get married—doing all this in such a way that brings God glory. That’s the full picture, right? I thought so too…

The course of my walk with the Lord dramatically changed during a two-year period I spent pursuing my Master’s degree in the Middle East. My life at my postgraduate university was wonderful. Beautiful campus, luxurious home, countless activities, and plenty of scholarship money to acquire whatever my heart fancied. And not to forget the endless days of sunshine, weekends away snorkelling with friends in the Red Sea, followed by adventures and campfires under the stunning desert stars. I loved Jesus and wanted to be useful to Him, as any Christian would. So even while I was there, I found other foreigners who were Christians, devoted myself to Bible studies, friendship evangelism, prayer meetings, and any other regular spiritual activity or service a believer would find themselves busy with. My prayer remained, “In all that I do and in all I pursue, Lord take the glory”.

Everything began to change one faithful day when a friend invited me to join him and some other believers for a course facilitated by missionaries to share God’s heart and vision for all nations. Until that point in my life, I had been quite numb to the fact that the land that I walked upon was home to a staggering 99.999% Muslim population and the holiest land on earth for 2 billion Muslims. A short-term mission trip to a neighbouring Muslim nation completely transformed the way I saw these nations who have been left largely unengaged with the gospel. Open, ready for the gospel, but no opportunity to hear, no workers. These facts shocked me as much as they may shock you, but I still resolved that I was not ‘called’ to be a missionary. I did not hear that voice or have that inclination. I had other personal goals in life which were conceived and prepared by me to give God glory.

Let us together paint in our minds the picture I came to see, as the Apostle John catches a vision of what is to come in the new heavens: 

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Rev 7:9-10)

Can you see this image? This is the glory that has been prepared by the Father, at the beginning of time, and for the end of time. The worship of ALL nations. For after all, His Son gave His life’s blood for this very thing …because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation (Rev 5:9).

Consequently, my vision radically changed. My eyes were opened to see that God has revealed to us that His highest and ultimate vision is to receive the worship of ALL nations. I began to perceive that the search of my purpose and mission was not to be viewed as ‘how I can use my ambitions and personal dreams to bring God glory?’ But rather, what is the glory God has prepared for Himself and what must I do to see that glory being realised on earth?

…I began to perceive that the search of my purpose and mission was not to be viewed as ‘how I can use my ambitions and personal dreams to bring God glory?’ But rather, what is the glory God has prepared for Himself and what must I do to see that glory being realised on earth?

So God does not leave us clueless but rather gives us a mission, as agents, to bring about the worship of Jesus Christ in all nations. He gives us His final orders as He ascends into heaven to prepare a place for His people: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”, and has given us His Spirit to empower us to complete the task (Acts 1:8, Luke 24:47-49). Interestingly, this Great Commission strongly mirrors the command and promise He gave our Father Abraham, detailed in Gen 12:1-2. God’s plan of redemption for ALL nations was not an afterthought but rather the central purpose of the cross and salvation. For even the final chapter of history ends with this clause — And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to ALL nations, AND THEN the end will come (Matt 24:14). 

And so to me, missions no longer remained an optional service for certain special believers. I was forced to move on from the romantic idea of a mysterious calling one had to receive to bring the gospel to God’s lost sheep, and move towards a more scriptural understanding of ministry in God’s Kingdom: For Christ’s love compels us, … And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them (2 Cor 5:14-15). With this new conviction, I had to make a decision. Turn a blind eye to souls who live enslaved to sin, deeply unaware of the need of a Saviour, or make it my mission to see these souls come to know the Lord Jesus and thereby worship Him. At the age of 23, I committed my life to missions in the frontier nations and the mobilisation of the Church for frontier mission work, till the day I meet my Lord.

God’s plan of redemption for ALL nations was not an afterthought but rather the central purpose of the cross and salvation. Click To Tweet

The question remains for us; have we searched His word to see what the Lord truly longs for? In what ways have we submitted our ambitions, gifts, intercession and the affections of our hearts to see God’s mission fulfilled? Has this just been a verbal commitment or are you practically striving for the advancement of His kingdom daily? Whether in your country of residence or across other nations yearning for the gospel of Jesus Christ, let us give ourselves to see all nations worship Him. I pray His mission would truly become the greatest mission of your life.

---

If you would like to find out more information about how to get involved in missions overseas please leave a comment below or contact us