A Long Obedience in the Same Direction

It's time for re-entry, the most perilous procedure of space travel…..and mission work. There is the chance that the new life birthed could be snuffed out in a moment, upon contact with the familiar and comfortable of the previous life. It is a previous life because life can never be the same again. You can try to put behind you the experiences and temporary inconveniences, the trouble and assault on the sense, but you can never do it completely. The Spirit's work in the hearts of those who "go" will always linger. The impact might lessen, if we let it. The memories might fade, if we aren't diligent.

I read Eugene Peterson's book by this blog title's name many years ago. At the moment it's tucked away in a box, stacked in my garage - box upon box - because there is no room for most in our present circumstances. Without going back to it, I'm not certain if he would appreciate my use of his title in this way.

Both the book and this post are about discipleship in an instant gratification culture. We can't hope to microwave a heart change in a week and do nothing in response upon return. When a clay pot is fired for the second time, the purpose is to mature the glaze and the clay, "meaning the stoneware is brought to a temperature at which it is no longer porous and the glaze achieves a glasslike finish." This is the work after re-entry from a trip. Choosing opportunities to help God's work in the heart create a glasslike finish so that when He looks at our lives we reflect only Him.

Here's the key I think I've discovered from my dozens of trips. FINISH.

A short-term trip is not about saying "I went" but rather "what I do now is because I went." The cycle of mission is incomplete without doing back home what you did while you were away. We began to discuss this on Sunday night in our devotional time. Ideas were floated - serve here - do this. We will serve. We will find ways to do here what we did there. Consider what any short-term team does:

• they made time to serve
• they spent money for the privilege of serving
• they had fun all along the way
• it wasn't so much about the work but more about the relationships and conversations
• there were many inconveniences (to a 1st world life)

Plan now for times to serve or life will fill up your schedule with good fun that won't mature the glaze.

It's a long obedience in the same direction. Choose to keep life headed where the trip turned your attention.

Perhaps you have gone before but find yourself off the path. Choose to step back on. Do it today. It will probably be inconvenient and maybe uncomfortable but I've never met a discipleship path that isn't.