What Am I Doing Here!?

STOP! You probably don’t want to read this blog if you’re looking for a comfortable, convenient, unchallenged life. This is not a “how to get rich quick” blog or a “how to finally fulfill that stubborn bucket list.” In fact, this blog might sting a little if those things are a driving force in your life. Like never before, we need to have a renewed understanding of God’s perspective and our purpose. As a church, as followers of Christ, we have lost our way. God has given each of us a purpose, and it’s greater than you think – it doesn’t just involve providing a roof over your family’s head and making sure your children are safe and have a good start on life – these are all good things that fall way, way short of God’s plan for your life. Yet, so many of us measure success according to those goals.

Of all the instructions that Jesus gave to His followers, not one of them included comfort, convenience, education, wealth or situational happiness. Can those things happen when we’re pursuing the Kingdom of God? Absolutely. BUT, that IS NOT the goal. The goal is the advancement of HIS kingdom, not ours. Consequently, when we are chasing our purpose in the Kingdom, there will be sacrifices, pain and suffering.

Let’s examine some of the promises that Jesus gave to those that chose to follow Him:

“Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.” Matthew 24:9

“For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake….” Philippians 1:29

“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24

Our family moved back to the states almost 3 years ago after living in the Middle East for 16 years. It’s been an eye-opening experience, to be honest, seeing the differences in how Christians live in the USA versus how they live in other parts of the world. In the Middle East, to become a Christian is a massive decision. It’s not made lightly. In making a decision for Christ, they will, in all likelihood, have to abandon their family, lose their job, and become an outcast among their friends, community, and culture. All of that is assuming that they survive the decision. Their concerns are not about how good the sermon was, or whether there were enough lights or fog machines on the stage. They are not concerned about the size of the congregation, or whether they serve coffee and donuts.

In other parts of the world, the decision to follow Jesus is a life choice – they are consumed by it. They have made an exchange – this life, and all it’s comforts, conveniences, friendships, and rewards, for the eternal rewards of the next life. When you really think about it, it’s not much of a choice. However, it means sacrificing this life, revoking our citizenship, abandoning our “rights”, and stepping into the calling that our Father has placed on each and every one of us – no exceptions.

What is that calling? Well, I’ve already mentioned where it starts: denying ourself (comforts, conveniences, family, friends) grabbing our cross (a place of sacrifice and suffering) and following Him (Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Messiah, Healer, Bondage Breaker, Waymaker).

But what is the purpose of the calling? What are we doing here on earth? Why doesn’t He just return and take us home? Our Father has one purpose for keeping us here: we are His hands, His feet, and His voice to a lost generation. He is after their hearts and He has chosen us as His priests – the ones that will deliver His message.

Here are some instructions that He gave His disciples:

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'” Matthew 28:18-20

“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” Matthew 10:8

And this is what James had to add to the conversation:

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” James 1:27

Jesus kept His instructions simple and straightforward. The problem is that we’ve complicated them. If we can complicate something enough, we can manipulate what that looks like – we can define it according to our own measurements and make it comfortable and convenient. Maybe we can even erase some of the sacrifice and the risk of giving everything to the cause of Christ.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. When we try to define the call of Christ according to our comforts, we’re left with a weak and tepid Christianity that carries no weight or authority in the Kingdom of God or on earth. I’m sorry if that offends you. Sometimes, we need to be offended so that we can wake up and re-examine our lives and the commitment that we’ve made to the Kingdom of God. It’s why Jesus said,

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

After losing our daughter, I did a lot of re-examining. I was angry. I thought, “How could you, Lord, after all that I’ve already sacrificed?” I had placed a premium on my family. I was willing to give God anything, as long as He didn’t take that from me and kept them safe. I felt that I had given enough – that I had met the “quota” of sacrifice, and it guaranteed me a certain amount of protection. But I discovered, rather abruptly, that’s not how it works.

In His Kingdom, all means all.

Don’t misunderstand. I’m not suggesting that God took my daughter from me, I don’t believe that. However, I’ve had to face the reality that it was within His power to heal her, to restore her, and to give her back to me. For what ever reason, He chose not to do that. The “why” was actually not important. Over the coming days, weeks, and months as I processed our loss, I had to come to terms with the fact that I had not given Him everything. I withheld my daughter, as well as my other children and my wife. My family had become first, not Him.

I wanted to share that story because I want you to know that I’m not above it all just because I moved my family half-way across the world under the guise of serving Him. I still struggle with all the same wants and desires that are constantly pulling at me from this world. I’m not entirely certain that I could survive the loss of another child, but I am more and more of the mind that this world is not my home and I have a mandate to pursue and build His Kingdom.

We are not left here on this world to simply sing His praises on Sunday morning and become better people. Those things would be better achieved in heaven, not on earth. So, if He has left us here, He has a purpose for us that goes beyond what most of us are doing.

One of my heroes of the faith is missionary and martyr for Christ, Jim Elliot. I’m on the path I’m on today because of the example of his life recklessly given to the advancement of the Kingdom of God. He had a single focus and a determination to fulfill God’s mandate. He gave his life for that cause at an early age.

We refer to him and others like him as “exceptional, unique, and special.” He would disagree. He was simply living the life laid out in the Word of God as representing a follower of Jesus. To Jim Elliot, he was living a normal life, not a unique one. He was able to walk that mandate out because he set his expectations on Christ and His upward call.

He shared his perspective on the life of a Christian in a letter to his future wife, Elisabeth Elliot:

“Dearest Betty, ‘We are the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.’ And what are the sheep doing going into the gate? What is their purpose inside those courts? To bleat melodies and enjoy the company of the flock? No. Those sheep were destined for the altar. Their pasture feeding had been for one purpose, to test them and fatten them for bloody sacrifice. Give Him thanks, then, that you have been counted worthy of His altars. Enter into the work with praise.”[i]

We’ve been raised under years of teaching that if we ask, He will provide it and that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills. We have made a doctrine out of Deuteronomy 28 – The Blessing of Obedience. I’m not saying God doesn’t bless us, “pressed down, shaken together and running over.” He’s a good, good Father. However, I believe His blessings fall more under the defining purpose of Abraham. God told Abraham,

“And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.“ Genesis 12:2

There is always a purpose to the blessing, and it’s not simply to make you happy or make your life more comfortable and convenient. He gives us what we need to fulfill our mandate – to make disciples of all nations, to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead.

Look, I don’t say all of this to paint a bleak picture of life is like when we give everything. It’s not bleak when we commit it ALL for the sake of the Kingdom. We actually walk into a place of peace and joy that is not dependent on our circumstances. WOW. How awesome would that be to NOT be moved by every circumstance or situation? Michelle and I would not be able to stand and move forward without the blessing and grace of God – we are living examples of hope and purpose in the midst of disappointment. He has poured out a measure of grace on our lives that is nothing short of abundant. The scriptures reinforce this:

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” James 1:2-4

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.” I Peter 5:10

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” II Corinthians 4:17

There are so many other verses that proclaim the goodness of God in our sacrifice and commitment. When we commit to lay it all down for His kingdom, He is faithful to bless us, but the blessing may not look like a comfortable life. It will probably look like a wonderful, amazing, abundant life in the midst of disappointment and sacrifice. It’s a life following the One that cut the path towards the cross. It’s a life that impacts families, communities, and nations.

Don’t settle for years of standing around until the Messiah returns or your life on this planet ends. You might be sadly surprised at how that actually turns out for you. A follower of Christ is doing what Jesus did…that’s what it means to “follow.” He didn’t sit around waiting – He was about His Father’s work – building His Kingdom.

We should be doing the same.

Peace.

[i] Elliot, Elisabeth. Shadow of the Almighty. New York: HarperCollins, 2009.