Destiny

15 June 2010

Destiny

I’ve been thinking about that word a bit. I’m not doing any word study to see where we get it from, although I can guess: “Who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? What is the meaning of life?” the great universals. Obviously somebody wanted an answer, and destiny brings direction, meaning and purpose to life. So do I believe in destiny? I believe God has a plan. I believe Moses could have said no in the desert even after all his excuses had run dry.

Is there a destiny for me? You bet there is. Can I make my own destiny? Absolutely.

The topic floods me with passion, courage, a feeling of meaning and greatness. Every boy hopes for it. Few make it a reality. The heroes of old really were heroes. We’re just afraid to believe it’s true, so we live vicariously through the actors on the screens. But why not?

I can’t think of greatness anymore without thinking of servanthood. We know that all heroes pursue the task before them with reckless abandon, at any cost. So how far are you willing to go for one soul?

I’ll put it this way: Jesus was ready to give everything for just one soul to even have the option of salvation. Jesus. God with us. And we talk big game about ready to give our lives, but do we mean it? I mean, if your life chalked up to giving some serial rapist & killer a second chance at life—which he might not take—would you be ok with that? Would that be a purpose filled life? Are you alright with that destiny?

A missionary goes to a village. He preaches an evangelistic series, during which he does visitation and helps with the needs of the community. The normal scenario says that if, out of that village of 150, 15 people are saved, it is a great success. He praises God, performs the baptisms or sets up the Bible studies, and goes home, to accolades of success. His new flock has been established, the church is grown.

But say that missionary is Jesus. 149 get to hear the gospel. The last one? He’s a shepherd, and he was away driving his herd to market, over the mountains. Jesus? He follows. All the way. The people try to warn Him of the robbers and murderers along the pass, but He goes anyway. He gets robbed, beaten, and His leg is broken along the way. Still He chases after that man until He finds Him, just to offer to share the sweet sweet story with him. The man denies. But Jesus leaves an extra Bible with the village for Him anyway.

Do you really get what it means for Jesus to go after the one lost sheep? This is what it looks like for the missionary with the heart of the Lion of the tribe of Judah: the church people of the village are being harassed for their faith. The persecution is hard, and has even cost lives. Our model says “how horrible” and prays for them, for God to perform a miracle. But this missionary heard God when He said “You are my miracle.” He goes to protect his family; the people God put under his care. He’ll die before harm comes to them.

How far will you go to tell one person that they are loved, and that they have been forgiven? A you ready for epic hero-level stuff?

-Colton J. Stollenmaier, M.I.A

~While we were still sinners, He endured the shame; how can I ever be ashamed?

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