I didn't grow up in a Christian household, but I had plenty of friends who did. I heard most of them talking about mission trips and camps they would attend, and how they would be "serving". I honestly had no idea what that meant at that time, but over the past few years, I've learned exactly what that meant.
"When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." Mark 16:9-20
This is a story I was just taught last night, and it had a powerful impact on me. It taught me that not only was my desire to serve in my own heart, but it is commanded of me by the Lord Jesus Christ. Serving is not an option! It is commanded of you by the very person you believe in with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength. Do you dare disobey the Lord? How are we, as people, so content with disobeying The Great Commission? Jesus' disciples didn't believe that he had returned from all over those who had said they had seen him. Jesus rebuked his disciples! He disciplined and scorned them for not trusting that he had returned! And he then sends them out to preach the gospel, as if everything they had done did not matter. They were forgiven and sent out to continue pursuing The Great Commission.
Serving the Lord does not mean that you must pack up everything you own and move to some remote country on the other side of the world. But it does require you to leave your comfort zone, and the dreams that you have will become second to those of the Lord. My staff leader for Chi Alpha just returned from a trip to Africa, where he was shown incredible things from the Lord, and then shared them with us. What he shared with us completely broke my heart. There are 865 people groups in Africa that have absolutely no access to the gospel. They have no access because those of us who are able to serve are not willing to take the leap of faith to fulfill the wishes of our Savior. If it is the Lord's will for you to share the gospel around the world, He will make it evident to you.
The Lord made it so incredibly evident to me years ago that I am someone who is meant to travel the world to share the gospel. I had served here in the capacity that he wanted me to, and that I was meant for greater things. In about 3 months, I will be flying almost 4,700 miles away to Rome, Italy to share the gospel with those who have yet to hear it. I'm so thankful that my heart for serving matches that of the Lord's heart, and that He is providing for me to fulfill The Great Commission because I am so willing to submit myself to Him and be used in whatever way He chooses to use me. I leave you with those verses to ponder.
"For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" 1 Corinthians 9:16
"Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go." Joshua 1:16
