Traveling Where There Are No Roads
A missionary society in London wrote to Dr. David Livingstone and asked, "Have you found a good road to where you are? If so, we want to know how to send (men) to join you." Livingstone wrote back, "If you have (men) who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them. I want (men) who will come if there is no road at all."
This short conversation from the historical record of the great missionary Dr. David Livingstone hits me right between my "disciple" eyes. I must confess that I am part of that generation of boomers who has had a propensity to consume rather than contribute--take rather than give. In fact, author Marva Dawn in her book entitled, "Reaching Out without Dumbing Down" says it well: "The boomers search for a church to meet their needs instead of commitment to the church through which to serve." There is another phrase that has capture my attention recently. You have heard John Wesley's quote, "The world is my parish," but too often modern day church goers have reversed this phrase to read, "The parish is my world."
Now that my own confession is complete, let me share with you that God's grace has so enlivened my heart that I no longer seek after the good road, and I am not afraid of the difficult road. My prayer is that I will simply walk the path that Christ sets me on, and trust that God gives me the strength, the courage, and the grace to remain faithful, and thus to become fruitful. My prayer is that there are friends who will join me on this amazing journey into the mystery of God's unfolding grace.
I have heard it said recently, "It is more difficult to climb a smooth mountain to the top rather than a rugged mountain." Why do we prefer the smooth path when it so easy to slide down whatever mountain we are called to climb in life?
This short conversation from the historical record of the great missionary Dr. David Livingstone hits me right between my "disciple" eyes. I must confess that I am part of that generation of boomers who has had a propensity to consume rather than contribute--take rather than give. In fact, author Marva Dawn in her book entitled, "Reaching Out without Dumbing Down" says it well: "The boomers search for a church to meet their needs instead of commitment to the church through which to serve." There is another phrase that has capture my attention recently. You have heard John Wesley's quote, "The world is my parish," but too often modern day church goers have reversed this phrase to read, "The parish is my world."
Now that my own confession is complete, let me share with you that God's grace has so enlivened my heart that I no longer seek after the good road, and I am not afraid of the difficult road. My prayer is that I will simply walk the path that Christ sets me on, and trust that God gives me the strength, the courage, and the grace to remain faithful, and thus to become fruitful. My prayer is that there are friends who will join me on this amazing journey into the mystery of God's unfolding grace.
I have heard it said recently, "It is more difficult to climb a smooth mountain to the top rather than a rugged mountain." Why do we prefer the smooth path when it so easy to slide down whatever mountain we are called to climb in life?
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