Lesslie Newbigin once said, “The deepest motive for mission is simply the desire to be with Jesus where he is, on the frontier between the reign of God and the usurped dominion of the devil.” What drives you to live for Jesus? In a world growing ever more hostile to His name, what keeps you going? Many who profess to be Christians approach life in a laissez-faire manner. They believe in God, maybe Jesus too, but their lives do not reflect their so-called beliefs.
I know it’s taboo to question the sincerity of one’s claim to be a Christian, and I readily admit only God knows the heart of anyone. It just seems to me if the mission of Christ does not consume you, and if the thought of billions of people going to hell does not devastate you, then you have to wonder what was the point of your conversion? Jesus is your Lord, or He is not; there is no other option or middle ground in this.
If the thought of standing on the front lines with Jesus does not excite you, it may be time to reassess your commitment to Him. He didn’t die so we could coast through life. He died so we might live! If you want to feel what it is to be alive, you need to walk right beside Jesus. If you are going to be in step with Him, you have to understand Jesus does not keep to the safe side of the road. He goes to the dangerous places that are most in need of His love and salvation.
Why would you want to stay on the sidelines when you have the opportunity to help lead people to Christ? I know living on the edge does not appeal to everyone, but the fact is if you are going to live a life devoted to Jesus, you must stand in the gap to help others cross over. There is no safe seat for a disciple.
To be a disciple is to recognize the spiritual war being fought around us. There is our good God and there is the evil of Satan. In the middle are souls who have not yet decided to follow Christ. Their souls hang in the balance of how we live our lives. If we play it safe and comfortable, we could very well be damning some to Hell. We have work to do. As followers of Christ, we have a mission to help rescue those who are perishing before our eyes (Proverbs 24:11). Only Jesus can save them, but how will they know if we don’t tell them (Romans 10:14)?
The single greatest motivation in our lives should be to do the work Jesus calls us to do. We should attack each day with fervor, determined to be open to His leading and drawing closer to Him while continuing His mission on earth. It won’t be easy. War never is. But it is to this He calls us. Don’t stand idly by. Strap on your sword and jump into the battle. Jesus is right beside you. You are never alone and need never be afraid.