There is an old proverb that states, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." It was because of this ancient advice, however, that I was thrown for a loop when Kristen and I show up for orientation and training, and find out our journey actually begins with approximately five thousand steps at the same time. In the midst of our preparation to leave for Madagascar, we found ourselves lost in the constant stream of schedules, curriculum, deadlines, new faces and sad goodbyes. But what exactly is it we should be doing with this surplus of information? Is there a goal we should be seeking out in all of this? Our destination, perhaps? Or a people group? A visa? A nap? All of these are high on our list of things to research and acquire (some more immediately than others), but we both know that the purpose is much larger than this.
In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus teaches his followers to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." My desire, then, should be to seek God's kingdom and righteousness before anything else; that seems simple enough. Unfortunately for most of us, that's usually easier said than done. Maybe it's because of the urgency of so many of the issues and deadlines we face. Regardless of our excuses, though, Jesus' teaching is very clear. So here is my commitment: To be a seeker of the kingdom and righteousness of of our heavenly Father. Sure, I have a lot to do here at orientation. I have to get a visa, finish a ton of assignments (Literally a ton. I weighed it.), and research the people group I will be working with. And all of these things serve the purpose of getting Kristen and me to Madagascar by the end of March. But I'm going to do all of it with a Kingdom-focused heart, because it is all God's work in the first place. When we are seeking the kingdom of God, he will guide us and provide all that we need (Mt. 6:33-34).
Kristen and I would like you to join us on this journey to southern Africa to share the Gospel. One way to do that is to follow this blog and leave us comments; I'll try my best to make it informative (definitely), make it insightful (maybe), update it regularly (maybe), and make it funny and enjoyable (probably not. I will try, though). However, the best way you can partner with us is through prayer. Please pray:
- That we can be efficient and get everything done to prepare to leave.
- That God will prepare us for the task ahead.
- That we will be healthy and rested during training. It's harder than it sounds!
- That we will have joyful hearts in all circumstances.
This commitment isn't just for us, though. We want to support YOU as you seek the kingdom and righteousness of God. Earlier in Matthew 6, when Jesus taught his followers how to pray, he asked that our Father's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. And this isn't just a prayer for preachers, pastors and missionaries; this should be the prayer of all followers of Christ.
If you or your congregation would like to partner with us in any way, let me know!
