Where Sky Meets Sea

God wants to take us places.  From the spiritual mountaintops to the valleys of service, God desires to guide each one of us on this earthbound hike we call life.

 But places on this earth remain uncharted.  As reported by the Global Research Department of the International Mission Board, approximately 3.8 billion people across the globe remain unreached - they do not know Christ.  And almost 2.4 billion, or over 60%, of these people are in four distinct regions -  South Asia, the Pacific Rim, Northern Africa, and the Middle East.  And approximately 1.6 billion do not have any access to the gospel message.

I must admit these figures seem daunting - the ends of the earth are still yet to be reached.  The task of the Acts 1:8 imperative is not complete.

 Last year, I had the luxury of cruising for my honeymoon.  On the boat I had my devotional time on the balcany, overlooking the sea.  The smell of salt water and the feel of a warm breeze made for great January weather.  The sea appears endless from a cruise ship, reaching as far as the sky and utlimately ending on the horizon.  As I finished my prayer time, I could only imagine the way in which earlier sea-farers traveled.  I had the creature comforts of a king-sized bed, private bathroom, running water, and the largest cornucopia of food you have ever seen (and ice-sculptures to boot).  But the Spanish explorers, the Puritans, and the Apostle Paul all faced a much harsher trip when crossing the seas.

 I imagined Peter at Simon the tanner’s house in Joppa, looking out into the sea and seeing the ends of the earth, realizing God has called him to a global mission, not knowing what would happen or how he would reach where the sky meets the sea.  Seeing the vast expanse that was before me, I realized that I too am called on the same global mission, that as a pastor I am to preach the gospel message to all who would hear and to send those willing to go to the far corners of the earth.  All of us who claim the name of Jesus Christ are called.  The Great Commission is not optional.  You will be Christ’s witnesses is the imperative.

 Then I began to think about all the times that I had failed this mission, how many times God had placed before me someone who needed to hear about Christ’s amazing grace, and I had remained silent.  I rationalize that it’s nto the right timing.

 But it’s not about our timing; rather it is God’s timing.  And when God places peopel in our lives, our love for Christ should spill over, so much so that we can’t stop speaking about Jesus Christ, no matter what the circumstance.  Yes, tactfulness is a necessity.  And whacking someone over the head with a Bible may not be the best method.  But in the end, people’s eternities are at stake.

We are all on an eternal mission; we as Christians are all in the same boat.  We hike this life together in Christian unity.  Whether God calls us to the far corners of the earth or our own backyards, our passion for the gospel should be unceasing.  The good news is that our mission doesn’t end when we aren’t as obedient as we should be.  God doesn’t cut us off after one failure.  God never orphans his children.  He is a loving God.  He allows for mistakes.  He forgives.

 But God also has great expectations of his children.  The call to do as Jesus did is a high calling.  There could be as many as 250 million people in the United States that don’t know Christ.  Globally, the number reaches into the billions.  There are people in every walk of life that need Jesus.

 The people of thechurch should weep over these souls.  We should pray earnestly for softened hearts and for opportunities to tell the gospel message.  And we should be willing to go to where the sky meets the sea in order to share the only Truth that can save a soul.  We have our map, the Bible, so with joy let us continue on our journey.