Gone are the days where we only hear the news once or twice a day. No, we are completely bombarded with it now. We are bombarded with SO MUCH because of media.
From innocent babies dying because of a broken foster care system, wildly popular books and motivational speakers to the suicide of a pastor from California. There are so many things IN OUR FACES!
It can be so easy to get caught up in it all. It can be easy to get caught up in the emotion of hearing about a child dying. It can be so easy to get caught up in the hype of the latest book or speaker. It can be easy to get overwhelmed.
It can literally just be so easy to get completely carried away by all of it.
Last night in my STARS class I was reminded of what is truly important. After all week seeing the media explosion of so many things it took one students prayer card (filled from front to back with pleas for her family's salvation) to bring me to a screeching halt.
OUR MISSION FIELD IS WHAT MATTERS.
Our families. Our church. Our community. Our neighbors. Our schools. Our workplaces. Our grocery stores. THE PEOPLE THAT WE SHOULD BE REALLY SEEING AND HEARING. That's what matters.
What matters is making sure that I am filling myself up with ALL of God and His Word that I can just so that I can pour that out when people need it. Not IF people need it but WHEN they need it.
Our mission field DESPERATELY NEEDS US.
They do not need the next great book or to hear the next hyped motivational speaker. They NEED JESUS and you and I may be the ONLY Jesus they ever meet.
Hebrews 12:1-3 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
"let us throw off everything that hinders" - maybe that is our emotions, feelings, opinion or judgements or maybe it is our addiction to media!
"and the sin that so easily entangles" - it is so important that we are actively turning away from the sin in our lives and asking for forgiveness and for God's help to let it go forever
"let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" - God calls us to love our neighbor as ourselves and to go and make disciples and to be about His business winning souls for the kingdom
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith" - Let's be focused on JESUS and the Word of God and not all of these other distractions. Doesn't life throw enough distractions at us without adding more
"who for the joy set before him endured the cross" - the JOY is YOU and ME! He did it for US! So that we can become who He created us to be and do the things He created us to do. So that we can be His representatives to the world around us
"and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" - He is at the right hand of the throne of God interceeding for US! He is listening to ALL of our prayers and telling them to God and asking Him to help us!
"Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men" - Jesus came to earth. He knows how hard it is to walk out our faith here. He knows it first hand and He left a book to help us. HE TAUGHT US FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE!
"so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" - We must not grow weary. Our mission field NEEDS us to keep going. To keep loving and to keep pouring out!
I am so challenged today. I went from a place of being completely overwhelmed to allowing God's Spirit and His Word to challenge me and to propel me forward and continue the work.
Why?
Because I have two boys who look to me to be the example of Jesus 24 hours a day!
Because I have a student who is pleading with God for the salvation of her family. I have many students who need to be built up in the way of the One True God because they are facing unimaginable things at home and because they are bombarded with social media ALL DAY LONG!
Because my community is chock full of hurting people who are turning down the wrong path to find the fulfillment that only comes from Jesus. Because I used to walk there and because I now know TRUTH. Because God calls me to be the one to share the truth and the gospel!
Because this world is hurting. We see it all day everyday!
This world doesn't need our opinions, judgments or posts. It needs us to be so saturated in the Word and in God's presence that we can give them what they are truly needing...JESUS!
We won't see the needs around us if we are so caught up in the world around us, we won't even hear them when they are screaming out for help.
No, we must remove ourselves and find our quiet place with the Lord, EVERYDAY. He will help us see and He will help us go and He will help us love.
Father,
I am overwhelmed with the needs. Help me to see through your eyes. Help me to be ready to be your hands and feet in my mission field. Forgive me Father for getting caught up in the nonsense when I could be spending that time with you getting ready for the task at hand. Use me Lord. Use little broken me. Help me to love without conditions or judgments. Help us all Lord. Father I pray that every reader would have an insatiable hunger for You and Your Word. In Jesus name. Amen.
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