On A Mission

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV)

Life on earth has always been a dangerous proposition.  These verses are a survivor’s manual.  The main commands are:  Rejoice.  Don’t Worry.  Pray About Everything.  Stay Grateful.  The promise is peace for your heart and your mind, not necessarily your circumstances.  As far as those go, what I hear our Father in Heaven saying is, “Quit looking for smooth sailing.  That is not the point of your mission.”  We are here to represent our Father and His gift of new life through Jesus, the Messiah.  All those things that are freaking us out are really just opportunities to know Him and make Him known as the One Who is ALL we need, no matter what is happening in this crazy world. 

It’s easy to forget we are on a mission.  Our lives are so full of things we have to do - like going to Walmart, paying the bills, making dinner, taking care of our families, updating our Facebook status, and always folding one more load of laundry!   Okay, so maybe my list is different from yours, but you get the point.  It isn’t easy to stay focused on the fact that we’re here to win people to Christ, not establish perfect, trouble-free lives.  I believe the Father is telling us that it’s time to get this lesson learned.  Every woman knows that most of what she does every day is going to need to be done all over again tomorrow.  A clean kitchen is only a fleeting moment of glory, but everything we do today for the Kingdom of God today will last for eternity.  Every prayer prayed, every life-giving word spoken, every measure of love and grace given, every opportunity to speak the name of Jesus taken – all of these will have lasting impact.

Abba Father, please teach us how to live for You in this world.  Teach us to blend the must-do, mundane tasks with the holy mission You’ve assigned us.  Help us stay focused.  Give us eyes that see the open doors you put before us.  Help us remember your commands and be joyful soldiers with one foot in today and the other in eternity.  We love You, Lord!  Thank You for saving us from lives with no meaning.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.