Thoughts from somewhere over the Pacific

A few reflections on how Jesus is moving globally

I am currently somewhere over the Pacific Ocean as I write this. I left at 9a and will arrive two hours earlier at home (thank you, international date line!). My body doesn’t know what time zone I’m in, but my heart is full. This past week, I traveled with a few friends to see the work that Jesus is doing in and through one of our long-term partners. For decades, they have been faithfully serving Jesus as they serve the people of their city.

For context, that specific urban area has over 20 million people. The Jesus followers in that city don’t even make up 1% of that population. Let that sink in.

Less than 1% out of 20 million.

But I saw joy.

I saw hope.

I saw commitment.

I saw authentic love.

I saw people embodying the love and hope that is found in Jesus and bringing that light with them into places that so many wouldn’t be willing to go.

The Light of the World is still shining bright.

If following Jesus has become dull or dim, I would challenge you to step out of your context. Yes, this could include crossing a border into another land that you are unfamiliar with. But for many, it could be as simple as stepping across the street. Go find someone to serve who needs your help — and do it for their sake in Jesus’ Name. Like oxygen that keeps the fire burning, we need to let the air breathe on the embers of the passion of joining Jesus in His mission. His expectation was that all of His disciples would do this (see Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8). Far too often, our faith is suffocated through so much content and so little embodiment of the Gospel.

In a noisy world, hope in Jesus sounds beautiful.

My time in the city was filled with non-stop traffic and horns. Consistent calls to prayer over the speakers flooded the streets multiple times a day. A plurality of languages, ethnicities, and religious commitments were in every step on every street. The city was filled with noise. But I had the opportunity to worship Jesus with brothers and sisters, and the hope of Jesus sounded beautiful. I didn’t always know the words, songs, or melodies (our engagement in worship shouldn’t be limited by that). That’s not really the point, is it? We must remember that worship is about ascribing worth to God.

At times, our hearts are noisy. In the rush and responsibilities of life, we can grow numb. In our desires for our preferences to be met, we miss opportunities to not make it about us. Our world needs followers of Jesus who will lift up a sound in their words and in their witness that the world around them finds beautiful.

Fresh perspective can fuel heart renewal.

One thing I have learned in stepping out of my known context at different times is that my reality is not everyone’s reality. Gratitude and entitlement can’t coexist. Joy and bitterness will not live together. In our consumer-driven, carefully curated world that is shaping us, we often need a renewal of the heart. Every day I am being formed, and I recognize that my heart needs to be reformed. Stepping into a new perspective and seeing how Jesus is moving in and through it helps to do that.

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I am so thankful for what Jesus is doing globally, and for my brothers and sisters who are living a faith-filled, vibrant expression of discipleship even in challenging and oppositional circumstances. The mission that He set in motion is still alive, and He invites all of us to join in.