The Purpose of our Father
By Ben & Marianne Janssen
As never before in my life I feel like I have been thrown into the purpose of our Father. It feels like the time is moving faster than before. Situations in our world are changing rapidly day by day. Yesterday we had to backtrack on a planned attack on the enemy’s kingdom in one of the closed countries. We had to cancel all travel arrangements due to severe political problems. It clearly was not the right time to go there now. Often I think… how much time is there really left and how long do we have the freedom to teach about our blessed Lord?
I cannot be distracted. I know I need to focus… the days are fleetingly going by, one by one, but every day also brings us closer to the coming of our precious Lord Jesus. Very soon we will be standing in that great multitude, that no one can number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, worshipping God before the throne. This is His purpose… that all the nations will worship Him.
When I look in the face of the church planters in front of us, I know that this might be the army that will bring in the last of that great multitude in white robes. These church planters will be the trained and discipled troops of our Lord. They will be the ones who go to the last unreached, dangerous places on this earth, that are left to be conquered for the glory of God. They will not be welcomed there and martyrdom may face them, but who else will go to the ends of the earth?
Day after day, we train them thoroughly in how to start new churches. Group after group understands the concept clearly… if it is not you, who will go? Often my heart is lifted up when I see their unwavering zeal for the purpose of God. I see their total denial of all that the world has to offer. I see their selfless willingness to lay down their lives for their Saviour. They know that this life on earth is very short, like a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. They know that a very long and blessed eternity in the presence of our Lord and Savior awaits them.
Let us all take courage a little longer. Let us focus on the purpose of our Father. At the moment we are training God’s soldiers in Sri Lanka.
Photo Credit: Ben & Marianne Janssen