India 2009! Almost Time to GO...

India 2009! Almost Time to GO…

I feel it. The slow rumbling that seems to be building in my heart of hearts. Anticipation, dread, extreme rush, quiet joy, and a real and ever-present burden on my soul seem to collide and coexist all at once as I think of my journey coming up in a week and a half. Yes, folks time for my bi-annual trip to the great nation of India where my mind always gets blown and my body is put to the test of endurance.

Anyone who’s been to India any number of times knows the feelings I’m describing. In the midst of the hassle of packing and prep, there’s an excitement that just won’t let up. For me the reason is twofold: One facet is the idea of seeing my bride and baby girl after their two month time in India visiting family. Secondly, I feel called to preach the gospel there and encourage the believers, some of them living in true adversity. I want to teach them and tell them to hang on because Jesus may be coming soon! This is a message for India, America, and every nation on Earth.

I’ll spend almost a month there, Lord willing, sharing and venturing between two mega-cities in central India, Mumbai and Pune (which is my wife’s hometown). 20 million people live in Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and about 4 million live in the rising IT center of Pune, 3 hours east from Mumbai. There will be crowds, heat, traffic, and a host of sights and sounds that will be both welcome and hair-raising and I am praying for the clarity to be able to take it all in and use it as fuel for this flaming heart to serve God and see souls saved.

The mega civilization that is India is only mentioned once in all of scripture (Esther 1:1) but is implicit in the vast references to the “nations” whose people can be saved by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ as their only true savior (See all the references to nations in just the Revelation alone: 5:8-10, 7:9, 10:11, 13:7, 14:6, 15:4, 19:15,21:24-26). Nations of course are made up of people, individuals for whom Christ died on the cross, being the penal substitute for their sins, and rose again conquering death for everyone who believes on Him! How can we not be excited and fired up to be a part of God’s plan to reach people and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20) seeing them “called out” from every conceivable culture and lifestyle and translated into the “kingdom of His dear Son” (Col. 1:13). In the end we’ll all rejoice to see people from every tribe, tongue, and nation singing worship and praise to the triune God for eternity!

What part will you play in this unfolding adventure known as the Christian life? Who has God burdened you to reach out to today?

Thanks for reading, praying, and, as the Lord leads, GOING!