The Nations are up for Grabs

“The nations are up for grabs… and who wants them?

Who wants Laos?

Who wants Cambodia?

Who wants Tunisia?

Who wants Turkey?

Who want Eritrea?

Who wants Algeria?

Who wants India?

Who wants South Africa?

Who wants South America, Peru and Colombia and Brazil and Belize?

Who wants these places?

Who wants China?

Who wants Indonesia?

Who WANTS them?

They’re asking the question ‘who is this man and what does this mean?’

And the nations are up for grabs.

There’s a destiny and a place for you…

If you want it.”

~

Tonight at connect group, my pastor here in South Asia was telling us about a saying they have here. Summarized in English:

There was a man who was about to jump off a bridge into the river, committing suicide, and it was raining. Someone walking by offered him an umbrella not knowing what he was about to do, but the man declined. Why? Because he knew he was going to die, and staying dry, being comfortable, didn’t matter to him.

Morbid, I know. But you know there’s another famous saying, “Nothing is worth living for, unless it is worth dying for.” (Jim Elliot, missionary and martyr)

What is it that we live for, that is actually worth dying for? And if it is worth dying for, why do we insist on comfort along the way? Why do we often only do/go where God has called us if it is safe and not too terribly uncomfortable? What is your umbrella that you insist on having? If God is the river and we are jumping in wholeheartedly, having an umbrella doesn’t matter. In fact it’s silly… and petty.

There is an ADVENTURE out there for you, for me. And how many times do we miss out? Adventures are messy, dangerous and you sometimes have to do things you don’t necessarily feel like doing. But that is what makes it an adventure.

The nations are up for grabs. Who wants them? What nation will you claim, will you pray for, will you go to? What person will you share God's life and truth with? What girl will you help rescue from a brothel? What boy will you help educate who otherwise would live on the streets? What elderly man will you feed, who otherwise would starve? What crippled woman will you pray for healing for, who has to beg like a dog every day of her life? What struggling single mom will you befriend? What coworker will you reach out to? Who’s story will you share? Who will you speak up for, who otherwise couldn’t speak for themselves?

The nations are up for grabs.

There is a destiny and place for you…

if you want it.