Mission.
When I see this word, my imagination begins to turn its gears and I immediately begin picturing a spaceship and a command center for some reason. I hear radio static, then a voice in the command center speaks, “JN316, what is your mission?”. There’s a click and I get stuck in this tunnel vision of what I expect a “mission” to be. It’s going to be intense, full of action and it will always have explosions – preferably with me flying away from it in an awesome spaceship, something similar to the Millennium Falcon, while a score composed by John Williams plays triumphantly in the background.
What mission are you on?
The truth is, this is never really what our “mission” looks like. Each of us are on a mission of our own.
- Your mission might be trekking through school, trying to keep certain marks or grades so that you can eventually get a good job
- Your mission may be to make sure you don’t end up just living life paycheck-to-paycheck
- You mission may be to get some money in the bank, a nice car and quite possibly a lovely lady or handsome gentleman to share all of this with
I see these different missions everyone is on. Wandering here and there. Searching. Feeling as if there is something out there that will finally make their mission feel purposeful. I often feel myself wanting to shout to them, “Stop! That money mission won’t fulfil you! You don’t need to feel lost! I know a better mission that actually has purpose!”.
My imagination often carries me away and I see myself standing, waving my arms, shouting this out to the world. It falls on deaf ears though . . . Silence follows. Nothing seems to register, as if I’m standing in space again shouting out into the distance. Yet this time there are no explosions, no rousing chorus. No. There is just a sea of people floating amongst the stars. People who cannot hear the cries that burst forth from my heart until my brow is filled with sweat and tears are streaming down my face. All feels lost, they don’t see the mission, the ship waiting for a grand adventure. They see only what entices their hearts and eyes.
The mission call
Do you ever feel like that? Like you have heard the real mission call and, like me, you stand and shout, hoping to draw the attention of others?
In Acts 1:8, the disciples were told by Jesus:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth
Each of you has a mission, one that is far more exciting than any movie action sequence I could dream up. One we are all a part of as we see, hear and respond to Christ’s call. It’s as if we are immediately strapped in and ready for the trip! The music begins and our adventure is off and running. What is our mission? It's to join the Mission of Christ!
1 Timothy 1:15 gives us a quick briefing on what Jesus’ mission is:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst
Join his mission: save the world!
A mission with purpose, people to be rescued, fatherless children to be cared for, widows to be comforted, starving people to be fed, hope for the hopeless, love for the unloved and bringing light into darkness. Danger will abound, death is all but certain, but fear will not take you.
Here is your mission, should you choose to accept it …
Be a shining example of who Jesus Christ is. Shine bright in the world with his love, mercy, grace and hope. Go tell those you meet who Christ is, what he has done for you and how they can join the mission too.
The results of this mission often cross my mind and I begin to once again run away with it. I find myself once more standing at the edge of space, crying out toward this sea of people, but this time, something has brought strength to my voice. It seems to be catching the attention of the masses of people floating in front of me. As joy fills my heart, I see that it is not my voice that has caught their attention but a light that seems to be shining through the darkness, slowly guiding people toward it. Now that they have seen, it’s time for them to hear about this light. It's time for them to join the mission.