"Lighting the Fire"
Jotting – Week 36

The sixth mission response to the Ablaze! movement is: “Go to your family, neighbors, colleagues and others who do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ and personally share the Good News with them. Encourage your congregation or group to develop a strategy to share the love of Christ and His Good News with those in your community who need to hear it. Serve as a short-or long-term volunteer missionary with LCMS World Mission.”

Go with God

When God told Abram to leave the country of Ur and GO to Canaan, He sent Abram with a promise: “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3; emphases added).

After many years of waiting, God blessed Abraham and Sarah with a son–then told Abraham to GO “to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Genesis 22:2). Abram went, willing to obey because God had commanded it. But there, God stayed Abraham’s hand from the sacrifice of son, his only son whom he loved. God did not stay the hand of death from the sacrifice of His Son, His only Son whom He loved. Now God wants us to go and tell others of that love.

When God commanded Moses to GO to Pharaoh to let His people go, Moses said, “‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ So [God] said, ‘I will certainly be with you’” (Exodus 3:11-12; emphases added).

Moses and God talked further, Moses coming up with every argument he could think of, God patiently telling him again and again, “GO.”

“Then Moses said to the LORD, ‘O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ So the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say’” (Exodus 4:10-12; emphases added).

“After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: ‘Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them–the children of Israel. ... No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:1-2; 5-9; emphases added).

The prophets heard and heeded God’s call. Isaiah recorded: “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?’ Then I said, "Here am I! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8). Jeremiah wrote, “Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’ But the LORD said to me: ‘Do not say, “I am a youth,” For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak (Jeremiah 1:6-7; emphases added).

“These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: ... ‘But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” (Matthew 10:5-7; emphases added).

When John the Baptist had doubts and wanted to know for sure that Jesus was the Messiah, the Promised One, Jesus sent his disciples back saying, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” (Matthew 11:4-6; emphasis added).

When the women met the risen Jesus on the road, He told them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me” (Matthew 28:10; emphasis added).

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20; emphases added).

The command is there for us too. The promise as well comes out loud and clear. Go and tell. I will be with you. I will teach you what to say. I will never leave you or forsake you. Go and tell. You are forgiven. You know you have been chosen. Now go and tell someone else that good news: You are forgiven. You are chosen by God. He has good news for you.”

Pray: O Lord, You send. We go. Wherever we look, wherever we work and shop and play, there are people who don’t know You as Savior and Lord. Lord, let us go with Your blessing, with Your promise to be with us, with Your promise to give us the words to say. When we are with another who does not know You, open up a door of opportunity so we may speak of Your love to that person. Give us the words to say. Give us Your heart of love. In the name of Jesus. Amen.