Reflections on Jeremiah 29 - Part 5

I read this last night in a sermon by Hudson Taylor. I found it interesting how it related to this blog entry if you think of the 'Britain' he spoke of as the church, and the 'China' of those times as the world of our times:

"Sometimes those of us who have been out among the heathen, and who feel the great need for workers abroad, are almost appalled when we see the number of Christians that gather together in Conferences and Conventions at home; and we ask ourselves, "How is it that you are all here -- so many, so full of blessing, all recognizing the Lord Jesus as King?" Surely, surely, Britain could spare some of you workers that are so needed elsewhere. Surely, in the case of some, there is a mistake made somewhere. I was recently in Scotland, and we heard of one society that had money and could not get men to go to the mission field and another branch of the same church had men offering, but had no money to send them! How many parts of the world are almost destitute of workers! Today in many parts of inland China we have not a missionary, or have only one single missionary, male or female, to five hundred market towns and villages, and yet we have collected and enjoyed ourselves here by thousands."

How many are the professed Christians in the churches in America, and yet, how few are the true, truth speaking, loving Christians in the various professions and places in which they are really needed? Let us pray that we, and all the Christians in the churches or who attend conferences or conventions, will be thrust forth, out of our safety and ease, and become the witnesses Jesus called us to be when He spoke the great commission. We may not be called to China, but we are called to follow Him and to lay down our lives for Him just the same as if we were. We are called, if we call ourselves Christians, to live lives of surrender and Love and compassion and mercy that witness of His Sacrifice and His Resurrection to the same degree, although perhaps in different ways, here and within whatever career or lifestyle He leads us into as we would be called to any place else or in any other profession.
There's a saying I like that goes, "Give them not only noble teaching but noble teachers." Many times we try to teach something with slogans or bumper-stickers or t-shirts, etc. and we forget how Jesus taught us -- He Lived the Message, He embodied it. We can, too.

"Tis man's perdition to be safe,
when for truth he ought to die."
-- Emerson

Let's get out of our "safety bubble" and live for God by dying daily, even as the Apostle Paul did, for the cause of Truth. All power, all suffering, all blessing that was available to him is available to us if our hearts are but willing.

P.S. Have you read the article over at therebelution.com titled, "Winning the Culture War (Or Not)"? It ties in really well with this subject and I like the points about it being a battle and about becoming more effective and being obliged to do things in our society, as a people of faith, in testimony of our awesome God. Are the Harrises all reading the same devotional book or something? =)