Hi to all of you out there who might be reading this. I am on my way to India soon. There are two of us who will be going in November. I am so excited about this trip! We are senior citizens and off to the outermost part of the world. India is mostly Hindu. There are a few Christians, Muslims, and other persuasions that I have never heard of before, but the culture is Hindu.

I am 78 years young and if they tell me I cannot do something at my age, I will prove them wrong! Why? Because in some ways the last 20 years of my life have been, as well as the next 20 years will be the most productive years of my life. I want to have something that I can leave behind. I want the world to be a better place to live in because I was here. I want to leave my mark for the Lord!

Do you love the Lord? Do you have that burning in your heart to do something lasting, something that will live forever, something that will point others to the way, the truth, and the life? Then you know where my heart is and what I am talking about.

Jesus gave us the “great commission” when He said in the gospel of Mark 16:15-18, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will follow those who believe;  In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them:  they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”

I might add, that they will raise the dead. Then, at the end of Matthew, we have this admonition:

Matthew 28:18-20

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always.”

Jesus our savior, redeemer, sustainer, teacher, filler, and master calls and bids us to “go into all of the world.” If there is fear, He is the one who brings peace to us and all of those around us. We go in the name of the Lord, knowing that Jesus will take care of everything before us, in us and behind us. This commandment (not suggestion) tells us that we can do all things through Him who has commissioned us.

So, we do not hesitate, we do not question, we do not sit for several decades saying “I need more confirmations”. We have His word. So, I want to give a challenge to anyone who is contemplating going into a country where you have never been. Read the command of the Lord, count the cost in every way, but do not hesitate too long. The longer you hesitate, the more you will let yourself be talked into a reason not to go forth.

You may say to yourself, “I am too old, or I am too young and have no experience or I have no money or I am too frail.” These are all excuses not to go. But, Jesus can easily overcome them all. You may say to yourself, I have just gotten married, or I have young children, or I have many commitments and I cannot go. I hear the Lord saying “I will make a way where there is no way.”

There are mission fields here and in far away lands. We have all been called to the mission field. If not India or if not Cambodia, then where? It could be to the homeless, those in jail, those who have been alcoholics, those that were into prostitution, or the elderly who have no one to visit them. God has not left anyone out of the great commission!

Where are you called to go? Start right where you are and do the works of the Lord. Jesus quoted these words when He began His ministry here on earth and we take those same words for ourselves:

Isaiah 61:1-“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

In closing, I want to tell you that I believe that God’s word is greater than all of our limitations. His word, His strength, and His courage will carry us through more than our limitations, whatever they may be.

Do I believe what He says, or what circumstances are trying to tell me? I want to be on the side of the Lord’s Word! How about you?

Written by:  Joyce Euren
Published on 8/25/2017