Are You Ready To Begin?
The summer is slipping away and simmering down. Vacations are wrapping up and students are heading back to school. Soon enough we’ll all be back to our somewhat normal and, occasionally, uninterrupted routines. What does this look like for you? Are you ready to jump back into the swing of things? Are you ready to be surrounded by people that you have to interact with daily? Better yet, are you ready to begin your assignment? No, I’m not talking about your day to day occupation or what your teacher will be assigning you. I’m talking about your assignment, you know, the one Jesus gave us.
In Matthew 28:18-20 ESV, Jesus is recorded saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
The Question
Friend, can I ask you a serious question? Without just breezing by this next line, will you consider this question in sincerity of heart? When is the last time you told someone about Jesus? That’s the question that defines whether or not you are fulfilling your assignment.
This past Friday, as I was headed home, I had to drop by Home Depot to pick up a couple supplies for a project Ali and I are doing at our house. It felt like I had a million things I needed to accomplish that day, so I just wanted to run in, grab what I needed, and move on. Get in, get out. I was on track to fulfill my mission…until I walked out of the store. As soon as I stepped through the door outside, I saw a guy parked next to my car, fiddling around in the back of his truck. He was on crutches with his leg all mangled up.
With each step closer toward my car, I could sense the Lord telling me to pray with Him. Under my breath, I said, “But God, I’m just not feeling it. I’ve got a bunch of stuff I’ve got to get done. Can I not just pray for him on my way home?” As I continued trying to muster up excuses as to why now wasn’t a good time to show the love of Jesus, I heard in my spirit — “Why are you here?” To which I thought, “I came to pick up screws.” In response I heard, “That’s not why you’re here. Your plan was to pick up screws, but My plan was this man right here.”
Can I be vulnerable with you? I’ve blown it in this area more times than I can count. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve felt the Lord tugging on my heart, telling me to pray with someone and I’ve just shrugged it off. I know we all get busy and at times we have to recalibrate. However, we cannot forget why we are here, what our assignment is. Our assignment in God must always trump our activities in life. Sadly, within the American Church, it’s nearly always the other way around.
Living Up to the Call
So again, may I ask, when was the last time you told someone about Jesus? How often have you fallen into the trap, that I hate to admit I have so many times, where you shrug off the inward nudge to show someone Christ’s love? Friend, it’s time we sculpt our worlds around the call, “Go therefore and make disciples…”
Caleb and Ali live in East Tennessee where they serve at The Lift Church. With boldness and conviction, their deepest desire is to see the church revived and the world awakened. Learn more about The Lift by visiting theliftchurch.tv.
