Seek Uzorak

Day 16

Pastor Zach Dillon

Topic: Lost Friends

Scripture Reference: Luke 19:10

Devotional:

In 1976, a college dropout launched a computer startup company in his garage with a few friends. Their mission was ambitious yet simple, “To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”

Although it likely seemed naïve and idealistic at the moment, in hindsight today, we see that Steve Jobs' early mission statement was a prophetic signpost to what became one of the most influential businesses of the past century. As I write this devotional from my Apple device, even these words are aided in part by the mission of a few young dreamers who gave it all to chase a mission.

Mission is important. In a world of competing distractions, affections, and pursuits, a clear mission narrows our focus onto the one thing we can define as success. Mission informs not only what we do, but also how we do it.

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus defined His mission statement after He invited Himself into the home of a well-known sinner: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Everything Jesus did during His life and ministry reflected this.

Each of us reading this today is collectively embodying and benefiting from the fulfillment of Jesus’ mission. In Philippians 2, Paul wrote about the sacrifices Jesus was willing to make to accomplish this mission. Jesus stepped down from heaven, set aside His divine privileges, and took on the “form of a servant” to redeem lost and dying humanity back to Himself (Philippians 2:7). It was Jesus’ commitment to this divine assignment that was the joy “set before him” as He went to the cross and paid the ultimate price for the salvation of all who would come to Him (Hebrews 12:2)!

As the recipients of Jesus’ mission on the earth, we are now commanded to join Him today to fulfill this mission as we love, seek, and save the lost we encounter every day in our own lives. His mission becomes our mission as we live lives of obedience and surrender to the mandate of Christ.

My question for you today is this: Are you living for this mission? Do you see the lost neighbors on your street, coworkers at your job, lifelong friendships as people Christ died for or merely friendship accessories to better your life? God has sovereignly and strategically placed you in relationship with lost people for whom he died. When you said yes to Jesus, you were commissioned to live on mission to see the lost come to faith so that Jesus would receive the reward of his sufferings. Will you take up the mission of Jesus and intentionally and sacrificially witness to the lost in your life?

Our first step to respond to this mission is prayer. So today, will you spend the next five minutes praying through the following prayer points for one or two lost friends in your life?

Lord, I pray for spiritual awakening in the hearts of my friends. I ask that they would receive a revelation of Your kindness and love. Would you open doors for me and others to have spiritual conversations with them? I ask for boldness to take advantage of these conversations today.