Hello everyone,
First of all, WELCOME to 2010! It’s another year, another one filled with New Years resolutions which have probably all failed so far (it’s only been a month and that – I’ll give up chocolate – has failed), another year of challenges, another year of joys and another year of C.Y.A. We’re entering into our second year of Youth. How awesome is that? (the answer should be – YAY…WOOT WOOT. AWESOMENESS or just a simple ‘I agree Carey, I agree!’)
It’s been a while since anyone has updated the blog. So to start the year of 2010 blogs, I thought I’d start one of the call to the lost. A bit of a weird one to start off with but since I just came back from Thailand to support Missionaries. I have decided to write this blog in response to the many thoughts that are flying through my mind.
Well I just returned back to Australia from a 2 week long trip in Thailand, first in Chiang Mai and then 3 days in Bangkok. Whilst I was over there I was challenged by a slew of thoughts that constantly bugged me throughout the trip and it was this.
“What is stopping me from responding to God’s call in my life to bring the good news about Jesus to those at the end of the earth?”, “Why am I so comfortable with everything in my life, when in a instant, it could all disappear?”, “Why when at home, in Sydney, do I just constantly fail to uplift the name of Jesus in all situations?”, “Why are my desires so captivated by the things of this world, when the world around me is riddled with sin and a rebellion against the God who has given life?”
I don’t necessarily think these are bad thoughts, but they bugged me. The reason being is this, it reminded me of my failures to do those things. It reminded me of the times when I was silent when opportunities of the gospel message came up, the times when I didn’t speak words of truth that could save but spent my time speaking about the weather.
But in all that, I was challenged as well. Rather than staying with thoughts on failure, I started to think of, well “what do I do now?” and was challenged by the reminder of the call on me and on all those that profess in Jesus Christ. I was reminded by the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20
I think this was such a powerful reminder to me because of the call that God has placed on all Christians to call people of all nations, tongues and tribes to come into a relationship with Jesus. To be witnesses to everyone, to those at school, to those at uni, to those at home, to those at the supermarket, to those that don’t know Him wherever it may be.
It was an encouragement because it reminded me that my life, as I serve Him, is an act of obedience to wherever He guides me.
When I was in Thailand, we went to Chiang Mai (inland) to serve the Missionaries by giving them a rest as we took care of their children and we had three days in Bangkok where it was a time to rest and recuperate from the trip but also from the crazy 2009 year. Bangkok was suppose to be a time where I could just sit back, relax, shop, enjoy being in another country. But the call on my life never changed. This became especially true for me whilst I was in Bangkok when God open doors for me to share the gospel with a number of people.
I was able to share the gospel to a few taxi drivers whilst i was over there. Simple conversations, mentioning that I was a Christian, saying I know God and what He did on the cross because of Jesus. They were never long conversations, but they all resulted in me being able to give a gospel track (in Thai) to them and in one of the conversations I was able to pray with one of the Taxi drivers.
One of them, his name was Dang, and he told me that he use to go to church but left as a result of the people there at his church not respecting his daughter, I was able to remind him of the love of Jesus and the fact that Jesus was able to bring forgiveness to all, even when they denied him, even when they spat in His face. He showed the ultimate compassion, mercy and forgiveness and I challenged Dang to do the same and to remember Jesus. At the end of our conversation, I was able to pray with Him.
Now I don’t know if he accepted Jesus or not but being able to witness, share in his life, pray for him and give him a gospel track was such a great reminder that this is the call on all our lives. To be willing at every corner of the earth, to be witnesses of our Glorious Father, so that all may hear His name and call on Him.
But my encouragement to you is this. In every aspect of your life, display Christ as supremely valuable above all else. Let your light shine before men so that by your good deeds, by your words, by your conversations, by sharing your life as they share theirs, show them the love of Jesus and share with them what means most to you. This is a call to us all, wherever we are. This isn’t just for church, or when the opportunity arises in the church context. It is a call everywhere.
God showed and reminded me of this call on my life, even whilst I was away from Australia, away from my ministry to you guys (the youth at CYA), away from family, away from friends. He called me to people of different tribes and languages. He called me to Dang, He called me to the different taxi drivers, He called me to the homeless and needy in Chiang Mai and Thailand. He calls you to your family, your friends, your enemies, your neighbours, your local check-out chick, the person you sit next to on the bus. He calls you to the end of the earth!
Till next time. I hope God will continue to place a burden on your hearts for those that don’t know Jesus and that you will be a witness to all people around you.
Your Brother in Christ,
Carey
cpcyouthalive
