Pastor Nicolas Alba and me in the Gulf (on the return trip from Cerro Grande, Veracruz)


Sometimes it shocks me to remember that God's plan for the Salvation of the world is for you and me to be His witnesses to all people. Our responsibility is to tell others about Jesus Christ the Saving one, and to disciple new believers.

I feel such a heavy sense of responsibility. I cannot quite believe this is His plan. I know me. I don't think I am that trustworthy!

What kind of plan is based on me being responsible? I may be forty something years old, but I am largely a kid (or a large kid) and struggle to maintain focus. I'm pretty sure that if Doctors had been passing out ADHD meds when I was a boy, I'd have been taking them...probably still should be.

When I look at Scripture and see that His word teaches that He won't return until His word has been preached in every tongue to every nation (Matthew 24:14), I can't sit still!

How is this gonna happen?

Who is taking this seriously?

It certainly isn't the number of men and women who have signed up for summer missions and then bailed.

It won't be those who work a daily grind and then come home to children who have needs.

It isn't likely to be the pastors in churches across America, as they are already overworked and overwhelmed.

It won't be the widows or orphans.

It can't be those filling our educational institutions, simultaneously trying to figure out how to pay for the same.

No matter who we are, or where we are, it won't be us. We have too much on our plate!

What kind of plan is this?

We keep talking about the fact that we live in the "end times," but who are we fooling? The "end" can't come, cause we aren't preaching His word in every nation!

We often look to the "end" as a way to stop our own perceived suffering...except that we have yet to really suffer.

Our children think suffering is not being able to have a cell phone, or having limited text messaging on the one they already have. Where did they learn that?

Adults tend to view suffering as not being able to afford the house we really want. We are consumed with conspiring together on how to make it happen.

What effort is actually being put forth to actually fulfill the Great Commission?

Who has time? Who has resources? Who has the energy? What other excuses can we offer? What else will we say when we stand before Him at the throne of judgment, where we give an account (as believers) for how we used our time?

"When were you sick and in need, Lord? We never knew!"

I don't have time for this plan. It was surely ill conceived. Why would He depend on me? Does He really know me? Doesn't He realize what I have to put up with in life?

Send someone else, Lord! I can't speak well. I don't know how to tell people about you! There are plenty who can, send them!

Unless my perceived comfort becomes less important than the necessity of their Salvation; the reality is, I will continue to condemn them to hell, with my excuses.

Yet, I will blame God...it was a faulty plan.

When He said, "Go," He didn't mean for us to head off and seek the lap of luxury and comfort. We made that choice on our own. He meant for us to take His plan to heart, and preach His word in all nations.

Funny, that IS what He said.

Somehow we took it to imply that it was someone elses responsibility. For ours is to eat, drink and be happy, for tomorrow, we die.

Bad plan God, bad form. You shoulda showed me you meant me, when you said, "Go."


brent