There is an ever-widening difference when I read the Bible compared to reading online world news. When I read the Bible I am soothed, calmed and reminded of God’s eternal power, goodness and grace. When I read the news it’s much about the animosity between certain people, political parties and nations. The one breeds hope and encouragement, the other anxiety and discouragement.
Today I read from John 15 where Jesus says to us, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Joy. In Christ. Then I went to a news feed and read this: “Iran and Israel on the brink of war.’” Jesus, help us!
When I read the Bible, I am reminded that its message of God’s grace, restoration and forgiveness through Jesus is the answer. When I read the news, I realize the world is in a great mess and urgently needs the answer. The world needs Jesus—desperately. We should crave a movement of God to sweep across not only North America but the world. The world is aching from hurt and pain and needs the radical healing that comes through the gospel. And we are the ambassadors of that good news.
Mennonite Brethren family—might we begin to fervently pray for a massive movement of God that will transform our nation before it is too late? Yes, Jesus will return—but likely there is still time for God’s love to change the lives of hundreds, thousands, even millions of lost people. The reason we read so much negativity in the news is simply because people don’t yet know Jesus.
Mennonite Brethren family—might we please stop squabbling over inane issues and begin to center our passion, energy and resources on helping lost people enter a profound relationship with the King of kings? Might we stop battling over trivial disputes so that people can instead see Jesus in our words and actions and even substitute our tendency to focus on being comfortable, instead giving all that we’ve got so that some may come to know him?
Might we invest the substantial resources God has blessed us with for robust kingdom advancement instead of socking it away in some kind of fund that never sees the light of day because we just don’t have enough faith that God can and will replenish what we use? Might we corporately begin praying like crazy for this movement of God—a movement that swells in our churches, districts and national agencies?
Mennonite Brethren family—let’s vigorously plant many new churches that have a passion for reaching people that currently are headed for an eternity separated from the goodness and love of God. Let’s work diligently toward kindling a fire of intense mission in our existing churches, that they would become surging bastions of God’s saving grace.
As a USMB family, “Lord, forgive us when we’ve allowed our plans to get in the way of yours. Lead us in new ways for reaching the lost. Heal us from our apathy. Charge us with your vision for changing the eternal destiny of those you have created. May you use us for a God-given movement that changes everything locally, nationally and globally. Revive us again!”
Don Morris is the USMB national director. He and his wife, Janna, live in Edmond, Oklahoma, where they attend Cross Timbers Church.
