Biblical Success - What Me? An Ambassador? Who Says?نموونە

Sent to a Specific Location

Scripture 

“. . . and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us . . .” -- Hebrews 12:1c (NKJV)

“ For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” -- Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV)

Hebrews 12:1c calls on us to “run the race that is set before us.” Ephesians 2:10 says that we are God’s creation in Christ Jesus to do good works that He created for us to walk in. Is it possible that there is eternal intentionality about our lives from God’s perspective, and that we are who we are, where we are, with what we have to work with, in Kingdom terms as His representatives on Earth? Are we the result of biology or something more? Are we as we are with the gifts, talents, abilities and location where we find ourselves by random chance, or as part of a plan created by an infinitely loving and wise Creator? That’s a lot to think about. But for today, let’s assume that the dominant message of Scripture is that we are indeed intentional creations of a God Who has a purposeful plan for our lives, and that He has placed us in His plan to participate by representing Him right where we are now. (Ephesians 4:11, 12) 

That’s right. The mystery of the gospel might be paraphrased as “Christ in us, as us, through us, to others around us.” (Colossians 1:27) Jesus never calls a “part-time disciple.” Every Christ-follower is a full-time Ambassador! Our Ambassadorship is smack in the middle of our everyday lives -- in the circle of relationships that we naturally have. Our location, geography, and opportunity may be tiny or huge. None of those things matter to our Father. He’s not impressed with size. He looks for faithfulness in the use of what we are given, not where it is or how big it is. He picks those things and He gives us all we need to serve as Ambassadors in the opportunities we have. Sure, some He calls as missionaries to faraway places (that would be less than 1% of us), some to be pastors and staff in a local church (that might be another 1.5%). But by far the most of us He calls to minister His love and model His ways right where He plants us with the people around us. Our homes are our Embassies. 

So, Madam or Mr. Ambassador, what are your thoughts as you read the Scripture and think about how you might apply it in your assigned territory?