Growing up I always told my mom I was going to be a missionary in China. My mom was telling me a story the other day about when I was about four I took a bunch of these leggo baby wipe boxes we had (you could stack them on top of each other like leggos and they held the wipes, how cool is that?) and had them all sitting in front of me and I was trying to stuff a bunch of my stuff into the boxes. My mom walks into my room while I'm doing this and asks me "Hannah what are you doing?" and I replied "Mom, I'm packing," she simply asked me what I was packing for and I told her "I'm going to China. I'm going to be a missionary there and tell people about God." After my mom was finished telling me this story, I told her how amazing it is that even at that age I knew what God wanted me to do. It's just the years in between that and my 8th grade year I forgot completely about that calling.
Now that I'm almost grown up, I know for a fact that God wants me to be a missionary. Not to China, but to the US. Because it seems to me that the US is starting to need missionaries more than China. Dont get me wrong, every nation needs missionaries, but when countries like China start sending missionaries to the US, thats when we know we have a problem. We have missionaries from different countries that are being sent to us. They're teaching us how to become missionaries in our own country, but do we listen? Not enough of us do.
Honestly, do we really even need a missionary to come all the way from China to tell us what we already know? Our country needs us. The people here need us. The communities need us. Why is it that so many Christians just sit around praying for other people to reach out to the people that are right next to them? Yes prayer is great, and yes it can do amazing amazing things. But what good is prayer if we dont 1) mean it, 2) live it, and 3) do something about what we're praying for. If we start praying for the church's money situation, if they're trying to get out of debt, but we dont give our tithes joyfully and perpetually then what good does praying for it do? Yes I know sometimes it's hard to give because of financial situations. Trust me, I know that. But honestly, why is it that we sit on our butts and do nothing, when even the slightest bit of help from us, could change everything.
My new favorite song is I Refuse by Josh Wilson. It's also been my prayer for me to not just stand and watch, but to get out there and start being that missionary I'm called to be. Here are the lyrics.
Sometimes I, I just want to close my eyes And act like everyone’s alright When I know they’re not. This world needs God But it’s easier to stand and watch. I could pray a prayer and just move on Like nothing’s wrong. But I refuse. ‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care. I don’t want to say another empty prayer. Oh, I refuse to Sit around and wait for someone else To do what God has called me to do myself. Oh, I could choose Not to move but I refuse. I can hear the least of these Crying out so desperately, And I know we are the hands and feet Of you, oh God. So, if you say move, Then it’s time for me to follow through, And do what I was made to do. Show them who you are. 'Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care. I don’t want to say another empty prayer. Oh, I refuse to Sit around and wait for someone else To do what God has called me to do myself. Oh, I could choose Not to move but I refuse. To stand and watch The weary and lost Cry out for help. I refuse To turn my back And try and act like all is well. I refuse To stay unchanged, To wait another day, To die to myself. I refuse To make one more excuse.‘Cause I don’t want to live like I don’t care. I don’t want to say another empty prayer. Oh, I refuse to Sit around and wait for someone else To do what God has called me to do myself. Oh, I could choose Not to move but I refuse.
Amazing song, right? If you havent listened to it, do it. It will become your favorite song. It's so true for my life right now, I'm so tired of living like I dont care. Tired of praying that someone else will go out and witness, when in reality, we're all called to be witnesses, and to make disciples. So why dont we do it? Are we scared of rejection? Christ was rejected!
I recently got a tattoo, during the tattoo I was in so much pain, but I just kept praying "God please take some of this pain away" and he would a little bit but at the same time he would reply saying "I suffered for you, so you can suffer for me" Which hearing that made getting this tattoo so much easier, because whats the whole reason I got it. A sign of worship, a way to witness. It's so cool how in times like that God can really speak to you.
I dont know about you guys, but I'm tired of waiting for someone else to do what God has called me to do myself. Lets get out there and start doing what God has called us to do.
In Christ,
Hannah
