The request of the mission field
The passage refers to apostles looking to spread the Gospel of Christ wherever they could. They attempt to speak in Asia, however the Spirit of God forbids them from it. The same issue arises when they plan to enter Bithynia. Then in a dream, God commands Paul to go to Macedonia. They comply immediately and do so in haste. The choice of serving God is not something individuals can accomplish by their own will irrespective of how good their intentions are. Missionaries often forget that they are a small part of God’s plan. They are pawns on His chessboard. Their passages into cities and messages for the people are all subject to God’s approval.
Despite the experience in walking with God or the amount of faith an individual might possess, they are not an excuse to overrule God’s preferences. The apostles request for permission to preach in two places. The intention is in correlation with Christ’s command in the great commission. However, the plan of God does not accommodate them as yet. Missionaries must always ask God for guidance on their missionary destinations than to pack the suitcases to a place just because there is a need.
A picture of missions
The story of Zacchaeus is an inspiring story. The heart of Zacchaeus and his eventual change present the perfect conjunction for missions. The man was a tax collector and had a vile reputation. He was short in stature and largely disliked by the people. When he hears of Jesus, Zacchaeus makes up his mind to catch a glimpse of him no matter what. He goes through to great lengths for this. He presents himself in a crowd of people who hate him risking potential physical harm. Then he runs ahead of the path and climbs a sycamore tree to stay safe from the crowd as well as have a clear view of Jesus.
In any field of missions, the opposition to the work is incredibly difficult to have popularity with the people and remain successful. The opposition can stem from a hostile government or a people who hate the presence of Christians. The extra work, additional sacrifice, and a lot of prayer come in handy. There are hindrances such as pride that represent the tree. Without the clear view of Jesus or communication with Him, all the work will be a waste. Zacchaeus’ life changes dramatically when Jesus asks him to climb down. He is willing to give up hoarded wealth to make his account straight. In missions also, it is imperative to keep the account straight by humility and constantly seeking Christ’s face.
How do we serve God when we doubt?
The resurrection of Christ was information that He shared with his disciples and yet the Bible notes some dubious actions. First the suicide of Judas Iscariot. He was present when Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection. Although consumed by guilt, he had the choice to live and ask Jesus for forgiveness. Then it was the turn of the remaining disciples who were looking for the body when the indications were clear that Jesus was no longer dead. Thomas wanted to feel the nail indentations before believing. This is the representation of the disciples when Jesus chose them for His mission. Although the selection of the disciples seems to be in poor light, the purpose of God is firmly established.
The strongest testimony often comes from a person often perceived to be the weakest. The Bible is full of such men. Some examples are David and Gideon. While David was no more than a shepherd boy, Gideon was the weakest member of the feeblest family in the most fragile of all Israeli tribes. Habakkuk was riddled with doubts on how God chose an evil race to judge His chosen people. Doubt filled people fill the pages of the Old Testament. God chooses such people since they are more likely to succeed in carrying out His plans than anyone else. The doubts of the disciples rested when they saw Jesus once more. Almost all of them were martyred in gruesome fashion. It is certainly hard to believe what a bunch of doubters achieved and the distance they were willing to go to keep their faith. We are lesser beings and are subject to the weakness of doubting God. However, His Spirit makes us strong and our constant dependence on Him just like the disciples once did, we can serve God too (Henry, 2016).
Praying for missions
Prayer is often in use for demanding things from God and probably not in His will for us. We do not look at prayer as a means to honor God or to humble ourselves before God. There is no selfless behavior in most of the prayers we make to God. The original concept of prayer discussed in this passage in Matthew chapter 6 is a form of worship and exultation of God. It includes our submission and humility before Him. Our complete surrender before God and our acknowledgement that He is the owner of our lives. The requests we make for ourselves is for our daily spiritual food and a supplication for forgiveness on the condition that we will forgive anyone who sought to do us harm.
When praying for missions, the same principles will apply. The first step is to honor God and give glory to His kingdom. Next, we submit to His will on matters concerning mission related work. It could be the hiring of a talented speaker or purchasing a new computer. It is a curious business when God does not approve of our choices. We might look for ease of work or the chances of major publicity by inviting a talented speaker. The intentions are good however, often they do not fit God’s plan. He only gives us what we need and never what we think we need.
Humility is intact when we ask God for our daily bread and forgive our sins. Neither of these are our right nor can we earn them somehow. They are gifts. We humble ourselves and ask God for His provision for us. The important link that Jesus created when He set foot on this planet was that of humankind and God. This link interprets into various relationships. God cares for all His people hence, He wants harmony between them. Thus, we ask for forgiveness and choose to forgive those who offended us. Jesus taught His disciples to pray this way so that they remain equipped for their mission. Today, we are His disciples and we need to remember the framework of prayer given to us by the Son of God (Henry, 2016).
Providing for missions
The two chapters describe the Macedonian Church whose members struggle in poverty and yet manage to collect a generous offering to support a saint in need. A similar incident recorded in Luke 21; the widow’s offering. The comparison is almost strikingly similar in both accounts. The other aspect is that both givers (Church of Macedonia and the poor widow) were cheerful givers and they gave out of their poverty. The blessings from God in monetary benefits are not for individualistic pleasure seeking. God channels His resources through His people. Hence, any provision from God is subject to give away should He command it. There is no evidence that God accepts or honors everyone’s contribution.
He is selective. However, we have a duty to assist in the building of God’s Kingdom on this planet. Hence, we have to give cheerfully and be forthcoming in our offerings towards missions. The Church in Corinth does not lack in any aspect however; Paul has to point out Macedonia’s example and request their attention to the matter. While he is not forceful, he is speaking plainly. There is a ring of disappointment in his tone when addressing the Corinthians. Blessings from God are for joyful distribution. Not all the members in these early churches could travel and spread the Gospel of Christ. Hence, they chose to contribute in ways they could. They shared everything and were living harmoniously.
We cannot question God or doubt His intentions when He chooses our neighbour over us. Hence, we have to follow the commandments given to us. One of them is to give the first fruits of our labor to God. It cannot be what we can spare. It has to be an offering from the best portion. Likewise, we have to support missions and not forget that we are the beneficiaries of missions too. If not for the travels of the apostles and their early mission, we would never have the gift of salvation. Hence, it is important to support and provide for missions keeping in mind the future of generations to come.
References
Henry, M. (2016). Matthew. Retrieved from: http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=1
