Reviewing the Calling
I recently needed to write an article for one of our supporting churches and their missions conference. The requested theme of the article dealt with how we responded to the call to go to the mission field. While this is a brief summary and the whole story contains many more details, I thought I’d post it here on our blog for many of our churches’ benefit.
The call to “go in Jesus’ name” brought me to a fork-in-the-road moment. I was considering leaving Bible college and pursuing a degree in business and business leadership. For many years, the Lord had pressed upon my life that He wanted me to serve Him for His glory in a full-time ministry capacity. But the world and all of its opportunities were wide open to me at twenty years old. I was making good money — more than I had ever had control over before. And, I had aspirations upon a certain title and office in a company that I was working for at the time. I knew that if I put my mind to it that sheer will-power would get me that position and the pay associated with it.
However, at the same time, there was a pressure that was incessantly pounding upon my heart. The consistent, weighty thought paralyzed my mind at the crossroads of life. That thought came in the form of a question that asked, “While you can choose the life that will provide you with the luxury and title you search for — you will also live with regular regret and wonder at what could have been. Do you want to live under a question mark? Do you want to live not knowing how I could use you to transform many lives? Do you want to live serving yourself and wondering if you’re truly listening to the Master?” I cannot describe how close I was to the precipice of a life-altering decision in those moments.
In reflection, I can see that the greatness of the call of the Gospel was working its way into my thinking. I was awaking to the fact that laboring for the reward of the King was far superior to the transient titles the world might confer. And all I had to offer, all I had to surrender was only my willingness to go; to be available to the Father’s working. This walk of surrender would reveal that Jesus was really in me and I would be devoting my love to Him in return.
Under a splendid Arizona sunset in late January, I could resist the Lord no longer. I had no more desire to resist Him. I was so weary of displeasing Him and pulling away from Him. I had served idols, and I didn’t want to own the fact. There, I asked the Lord to make me a fisher of men.
At that point, I had no specific field in which to work. I didn’t know where specifically we were to go. The place has always come after the surrender.
A few years later, a similar season of conviction had set in upon my soul. This was the time when we were evaluating a transfer to the nation of Italy where we now serve. We had our eyes opened to the immense emptiness of the Italian field. City after city stood as fortressed challenges to the Gospel. Through various circumstances, we were poised to be able to enter a new field of labor. But after seeing the size of the need and the lack of the Scriptures in the land, we were burdened as if we had been given a unique & special glimpse into the passionate heart of the Father. The weighty question that we had to answer at this time was, “If we don’t go to that region, who will? Who sees these forgotten cities?”To this day, we labor in response to those questions, in hope of a visitation of the convicting Holy Spirit upon men’s lives, and in the joy of the faithful calling and kindness of the Lord.
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Thanks for the good content and food for thought. Glad you’re settling back into via italia. It was great to have you in Denver.
Comment by Erin — 9/12/2006 @ 11:35 pm
Dear Rob,
I just discoverd part of my article about my involvement with Catholic Chrismatics on your web site, Charismaria ~ part 4. Thank you. My e-mail address has been changed from azusa@aol.com to azusa755@sbcglobal.net
Blessings in Christ,
Bill Scudder
Comment by Bill Scudder — 9/17/2006 @ 9:03 pm
Hi Rob & Sandy,
It is great to read about your kingdom exploits in the name of Christ. Keep up the good work. I look forward to taking a couple of hundred years in eternity to talk with you about small groups, & ministry, etc! I always enjoyed our conversations. Say “Hi” to your family and pass on a special hello to your folks. Blessings, Dave
Comment by Dave Griffith — 2/2/2007 @ 10:53 pm