牧者心聲  Pastor's Message

01/31/2010   


How About Next Year?


      Last week, I talked with another pastor about mission trips. (Of which, we are definitely going to go to Mexico this year!) We talked at length of the specifics, transportation, legal documents, training, etc. At one point, he also spoke about how the training before hand is very critical to the missionary. Therefore, if you miss one training event, that’s ok. But if you have to miss another training session, even if it is due to a prior family arrangement, then we’re sorry but you’ve missed out on too much preparation. His response to those who can’t make it this year, “There’s always next year.” At first I thought, “True.” But then I thought, “How do we know we’ll even go on the trip this year? What if Jesus comes back before then?”


      This isn’t to say that the other pastor doesn’t get it. I know he does. His answer just caught me off guard. It was simply the sudden thought that we have so much time to do things. This causes us to forget the immediacy of Christ’s calling. We are called to help those in need (which we have done, to the tune of $6,029 for Haiti! Amen!). We are also called to invite people into Christ’s family. You may have a good reason for not being able to attend a mission trip or an outreach event. But don’t forget the work that Jesus Christ our Lord has set for us to do. Continue to pray for the person you prayed for last week in service. Because, who knows? There might not even be a next day!


      Revelation 22:12-13 12 "Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.





      Brother Benjamin Chung