Apostolic Passion or Distraction?

As I write, the Tokyo Olympics are in its second week, featuring the track and field events. It is amazing to watch the best runners in the world compete heat after heat at the intensity that they do. Although all do not cross the finish line at the same time, each runner fixes their eyes on that line. They have trained for years, avoiding things that would distract them from the possibility of crossing the finish line to earn an Olympic medal. 

I cringed as I watched two separate races where competitors, running at a very fast clip, entangled their legs with one another and fell flat on their faces! What a heart-breaking way to lose a race after investing so much of their time and effort. 

As this series of devotionals comes to a close, I leave you with an important question: how are you doing as you run the race God has tailored for you as his ambassador to the nations? Are you still as focused and as enthused as you were when you started out or have you become distracted or disoriented or bored? 

I have come to believe that the phrase in our verse, “everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” can be wrapped up in one word: distracted. It is easy to unwittingly get distracted, both in our personal (character) and professional (competence) lives as we race towards the finish line.  

When we take our eyes off the finish line and begin to look around, we see things that the world values that we must willingly deny: the accumulation of wealth, trophy homes, expensive cars, children’s elite education, exotic vacations, popularity, and more. Or we may be tempted to indulge in carnal behaviors and fudge on moral standards because society tells us they are acceptable. However, as tempting as those things may be, we should never forget our high calling of serving Christ for the salvation of lost souls. 

Back in May, Floyd McClung, beloved global missions leader, bestselling author and international speaker, died in Cape Town, South Africa. McClung reminded us of what he called “Apostolic Passion.” He said, “We live in a world of competing passions. If we do not die to self and fill our lives with the consuming passion of the worship of God in the nations, we will end up with other passions. It’s possible to deceive ourselves into thinking we have biblical passions when, in reality, all we have done is baptize the values of our culture and given them Christian names.” 

How are you doing in your mission “race?” Do you still have that apostolic passion that originally drove you into your calling, or have you become entangled by distractions? If so, what must you do to correct your course in order to finish your race well?

Key Quotation

If we do not die to self and fill our lives with the consuming passion of worship of God in the nations, we will end up with other passions.

Question

How are you doing as you run the race God has tailored for you as his ambassador to the nations?

Marvin J. Newell, Missio Nexus