NEED IS NOT THE CALL

NEED IS NOT THE CALL

“Son, what is your dream in life?” asked the father during a dinner conversation. The son replied, “I need to finish my studies, get a good job, get married and settle down. “ After many years when the son had got married, the father again asked his son, “What is your dream in life now?” The son replied, I need to raise my children, buy a home and settle down.” Again after several years, the father who has now aged asked his on, “What is your dream in life now?” The son replied, “Well, I need to see my children married, retire from my job, enjoy my grandchildren and settle down.” We all know there is more purpose to life than the various stages we seem to be living.

Decades ago, a mission leader said, “Need is not the call.” We want to bring this to the forefront again. There was a time when, the tribal, the remote parts of our world, the unreached peoples were the challenges. We were all motivated when somebody spoke about needs in a people group and made an appeal. We heard, we saw, we responded and we went.

But there is got to be something or someone bigger than ‘the need’ that commands our obedience. The glory of God should be our motive for mission, that all peoples will know Him, worship Him and glorify Him. That people will see the joy of living as subjects in His glorious kingdom. There cannot be greater motive for missions than this. “ It is the process, not the end which is glorifying to God,” said Oswald Chambers.

All our little empires, institutions, structures, dreams must submit to His kingdom. It is the love of Jesus that compels us to share the gospel whenever and wherever we can. Missions are no longer just in the remote parts of the world, missions are at our doorstep. Missions is no longer just, “Go ye into all the world” (Matthew 28:19) it is also, “Come over and help us” (Acts16:9). We are called to speak on behalf of those who have no voice, no power and no identity. We are called to be disciples and disciple-makers. Our great commission is to disciple the nations.

Mission paradigms may have changed, but our motivation for missions remains the same –God, His glory and His kingdom.  John Amalraj

January-April 2014, Issue 1, INFOCUS

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