Living for Jesus can be exciting in unexpected ways. The
members of the church have diverse backgrounds and experiences. Church members
need to be open to the opportunities that the world provides to spread the
gospel of Jesus Christ. We have to prepare ourselves for the unexpected and the
dangerous if we are going to fulfill the Great Commission given to the
disciples. Some people will knock on the doors of the church and say ’Let us
in, but they will not be many. Disciplined missionaries are needed to reach all
the rest.
Four-wheelers spend long hours preparing their vehicles and
themselves for off-road trips. As Christians and disciples of Jesus Christ, we
need to prepare as well. We need financial resources and reserves to sustain us
while we are in the field. Four-wheelers often carry extra gas and repair parts
when they undertake a difficult trip. As Christians, we need to gain a firm
understanding of where we are going and what we should expect to happen. Four-wheel enthusiasts pour-over road and trail maps before they depart on a trip.
They want to gain an understanding of the terrain they will encounter.
Christians need to acknowledge that when we are missionaries; everything may
not work out as we have planned. We need to be prepared for the unexpected.
Four wheelers are notorious for being overly prepared. A rainstorm or a late
season snowstorm can turn a pleasant drive in the mountains into a nightmare
of danger.
Missionaries often encounter unexpected opportunities in
their designated field of responsibility. They have to be wise enough and
talented enough to recognize and take advantage of those things they encounter.
Plans can change on the fly. Opportunities arise at inconvenient times. Are our
eyes open to see all that Jesus has made available? Four-wheelers can encounter
roads and trails not marked on maps. Short cuts around dangerous obstacles
present themselves to those who have their eyes open. If a group of four-wheelers goes on a long multiday trip the journey requires them to find places
of rest to restore themselves and repair their vehicles. Missionaries and
church leaders need time off to recharge themselves as well. No one should
expect a missionary to go on and on and on without rest and recuperation.
When four-wheelers finish a trip into the mountains they are
quick to recount their adventures and the beautiful things they saw along the
way. As Christians, we need to be prepared to testify about our personal
experiences as well. Relevant and truthful information is needed to encourage other
Christians to join in the struggle. Many hands make the work of a missionary
easier. Personal motivation does not appear like magic. Individuals all want to
find fulfillment in their work. Individuals who have been in the field need to
inspire and encourage those who seek to serve. Missionaries are the shock troops of the
church. They go where no one has gone before; often into very dangerous places.
The Christian experience is unknown and unwanted in large sectors of the world.
Missionaries are people called by God to serve as the spear point of the
church.
Four wheelers and four-wheel clubs exert power far beyond
their numbers. They know what the uncharted regions of the world are like. They
have been there and done that many times over. They have conquered the dangers the rest of us
are afraid to face. All Christians need to remember from where they came and
where they are going. Personal experiences in the field can help shape and
train those who are new to the struggle. Jesus wants all of us to help in the
quest to fulfill the Great Commission. Are you prepared to do your part?
