HERE AND THERE

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

—Matthew 28:18–20

As surfers, we naturally dream about “there”—all the places we’d like to be. We think about how well we’d surf if we could just get on a never-ending wall like Jeffreys Bay instead of three-second rides in Florida.

Having a bucket list of spots is not a problem. But fooling ourselves into thinking that we’d be different people, if only we were in a different place, is.

You might do this same thing in your spiritual life. You might hear a missionary speak at church and think about how bold you’d be if you were in that jungle—forgetting or ignoring the fact that you miss so many opportunities to be bold in your own “jungle” right where you are. Maybe ideas abound of how you would love the kids abandoned in an orphanage overseas—but in your overwhelmed life you have no time to pause to consider the needs of your line-up.

The problem lies in our understanding of “here” and “there”. So here’s the reality that I pray gives you a sense of freedom and hope today:

You will never be there. You will always be here.

Because when you get there, you will simply be here, somewhere else. So, it really doesn't matter what you plan to do there. It only matters what you’re doing here. Because what you’re doing here is what you’ll be doing here somewhere else.

Jesus’ last words to His followers—that includes you and me—was to go, and as we are going about our lives, to baptize people in His name. His call is to engage right here and now—wherever your “here” might be.

So, today, start right where you are. In your home, your neighborhood. Look at your local line-up. God is calling you to care for the believers and share with the lost. No more escaping to your fantasy of what you could be if your surroundings were different. Rather, smash the lip on that one-foot mush you're riding… and love the people around you.

Go Deeper:

Think of one person in your life, right here and now, who might be struggling. What’s one thing you can do today to love them?

Ask God to open up opportunities for you to make a difference for Him and for the people around you, right here where you are.