Sunday 5 October 2008

chariots of fire

the great north run started this morning with the wheelchair athletes as BBC piped in the 'chariots of fire' theme song. it's been about 15 years since i've seen 'Chariots of Fire' and i remember being impressed by someone who sacrificed what they loved, for who they loved.

it may not seem a big deal, running on a sunday. but when did we loose the concept that our sabboth is God's and not man's? i'm as guilty as any, skipping church to mix on a sunday, let alone running. am i missing the point that it isn't the 'doing' on the sunday that matters, but the 'why' i'm doing it? why will i not give my whole day to Christ if i say i'll give Him my whole life?

on the other side of eric liddell is his sacrifice to people in need of hearing the gospel. we talked about missions in church this morning. i'm a bit frustrated with this cause in the last year there have been loads of people who ask why i didn't go to uganda with my church or why i don't go on a missions trip to somewhere?

how do i say this.... I did. i live in Northern Ireland.

but it's a struggle to not think we have to LEAVE to be a 'missionary'. it's just general assumption that to be a missionary, we have to buy a ticket somewhere to a place other than that where we live. one of the things that has come out of this is the thought that the "mission field" is simply anywhere outside the doors of church.

i like that. i have a few friends right now i want to be my "mission field" and this quote explains it well:

“We are all missionaries. Wherever we go, we either bring people nearer to Christ, or we repel them from Christ.” eric liddell

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

There's a sign at our church parking lot as you leave to enter the street--"Entering mission field." I guess that's just what you mean.
loveyou,
Mom

Philip said...

Not to justify "doing" stuff on Sunday or whenever you take your Sabbath, but remember this verse:
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Anonymous said...

It's perhaps notable that the vast majority of the early Christians stayed put - most weren't Pauls and AFAIK this wasn't an issue raised in any NT letters. Our Christian sub-culture seems to have formed its own celebrity cult where the only Christians worth emulating are the ones that went Places and did Big Things. The Christian that had the biggest impact on my life was an elderly lady who rarely went outdoors never mind abroad. All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well ;-)

Anonymous said...

wolf woods man was here.....he said,"wuff", which means "luv ya".
you're ok. Sabbath your mind, and Sabbath your heart.

dc

Unknown said...

Amen! Sometimes it's hardest to be committed to the Lord in the small, unexciting times.

Anonymous said...

There is a song by CHris Rice bout candles...heard this about 3 years ago in omagh.......found it......here ya go:
It's called 'go light your world'.......do ya know it now...hmmmm?

There is a candle in every soul
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold
There is a Spirit who brings a fire
Ignites a candle and makes His home

So carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Frustrated brother, see how he's tried to
Light his own candle some other way
See now your sister, she's been robbed and lied to
Still holds a candle without a flame

So Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the lonely, the tired and worn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world

Cause We are a family whose hearts are blazing
So let's raise our candles and light up the sky
Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus
Make us a beacon in darkest times

So Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the helpless, deceived and poor
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world

Carry your candle, run to the darkness
Seek out the hepeless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world
Take your candle, and go light your world


jan:oI

... said...

Interesting reading.

I agree- we are ALL called in that Great Commission to GO!
Some called to GO to fartherst places on earth, others called to GO to their workplace.

I don't doubt that many are called to GO into Northern Ireland rather than overseas. However, I think for many that is an excuse not to do very much. I see so many christians saying they are 'called' to be at home but sometimes it results in them doing nothing at all. Not all, but some.

Also I would say that we in christian circles do not have a bias to overseas mission a definate bias to staying at home. There is 1 christian missionary for every 500,000 muslims in the world. That couldn't be God's will. Surely he is calling more to GO there?! I say this as I struggle that there are more than 11 full-time youth workers (me included) in Lurgan -a town of 30,000- and many more christians who have been called to GO here.

I'm sorry if this comes across wrong, but it's something I've been thinking about a lot.

Thanks

Dave

EF said...

ah, i understand completely, dave. and agree that most people are maybe taking the easy route of "going" to where they live. i should have clarified my 'going to NI'...i'm not from here. this is overseas to me. :)

Anonymous said...

The best—that is, effective and admirable—missionaries I know are those who don't give a rodens ani about being recognized for their work as "missionaries". One is or isn't a missionary regardless of whether one calls herself or not a missionary. One is when one lives inside-out. One is not when one lives outside-in.

Anonymous said...

I just found your blog in doing a search on the quote by Eric Liddell at the end of your post.

In reading through your other posts, I just wanted to encourage you to keep making a difference right where you are.

A very wise woman once told me to "bloom where you are planted," and I think that's just another way of saying what Liddell did.

Reading your posts was also encouraging to me...thank you.

EF said...

Megan - thank you. i hope you are encouraged in your study of eric liddell. be well.