Bless-ed! 52 Blessings You Have As a Believer! (Blessing #5)

Blessing #5: The Blessing of a Life-Long Mission

“This is the true joy of life: the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself to be a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” (George Bernard Shaw)

I’ve recently been challenged (by my time with my unsaved friend Mike) to think about what I have as a believer and what those who are lost don’t have. This may seem like a strange exercise, but it has a way of focusing my prayers and my priorities to genuinely care about my lost friends.

In sharing the biblical truth with Mike that he is “lost” and “unsaved” without Jesus, he responded with his conviction that he was just fine with God. But that’s not what God’s Word says. Another blessing that we who know Christ have and is this —

5. WE HAVE A LIFE-LONG, SATISFYING MISSION IN LIFE!
What is my friend Mike’s “mission” in life? I suppose — if I were to ask him — he would probably say, “I want to be a good person, help others, be kind and compassionate, and die with my family by my side.” Those are good values and ambitious goals — but that’s what life is about?

THE BLESSING: What about knowing the living God? What about helping to rescue people from God’s eternal wrath? What about sharing in any way possible the message of forgiveness and reconciliation that Jesus provides to those who believe? What about a life mission that will require all one’s energy and resources and priorities and insight and purpose? That’s what we believers have. And though at times it might seem like a burden, it is a blessing.

THE BIBLE Jesus prayed in John 17 for all who would follow Him. “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (v. 3). He commissioned His disciples in Matthew 28 with the words:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Life’s purpose is to know the Lord and life’s mission (for those who believe) is to disciplize (my word) people everywhere to follow Jesus. This is the believer’s life-long, satisfying mission. There is none greater than this.

ACTION STEPS Someone has said of the Christian, “You are either a missionary or a mission field.” Believer, are you fully engaged in this Christ-given mission to reach the world? Some action steps you can take:
1. Read through the book of Acts this week taking special note of the passion and commitment of the early Christians to fulfill the Great Commission the Lord gave to them. Take a few notes and perhaps share what you’ve learned with a friend.
2. Interview a real-life missionary (either active or retired) sometime this week. Ask them questions like, “If you had to live your life over again, what would you do differently?” “What lessons have you learned about your life-long mission that can help other believers?”
3. Read John Piper’s book Don’t Waste Your Life and discuss it with a friend. Are there any points in that book that you might disagree with? Check out desiringgod.org for Piper’s many resources.
PRAYER: 4. To be quite honest and blunt, in the words of Pastor John Piper, my friend Mike has wasted his life! But it’s not too late. And I pray he will come to Christ and use the remainder of his days to have a mission far greater than any one he has ever dreamed of.

Are you concerned that your friend does not have God’s eternal mission in life? Pray that the Holy Spirit will speak to his heart — and remind him that he only has one life. And it can count for God!