To the ends of the earth...

"For this is what the Lord has commanded us: 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.' " Acts 13:47

That's the point of all of this, right? To bring salvation to the ends of the earth? Its my point for existence, at least. Its why I do what I do, its why I love like I love, its why I respond the way I respond. Its what motivates me, its what gets me through the tough days.....or does it?

I want those statements to be true, and to a point, I do really believe they are true for me. But sadly I don't wake up everyday thinking about someones salvation. I don't let my motives or my responses be from a place of bringing salvation to someone. I do in the small little corners of my world, but to say it weaves through my whole reason for existence.....I don't breathe, eat, sleep that reality. Its in there, yes, but its not my every motivation.

Death makes you think a lot about things. What you would have done differently, what you didn't do, what you wish you would have done.....There have been a lot of people around me facing death here lately, my Dad included, and its got me thinking, "If that were me, if I were told you have less than a year to live....would I live out Acts 13:47 differently?"
You BET I WOULD!
I have a little life that comes to my house every week, and then goes home to his family, who doesn't know Christ. I have the opportunity to bring salvation...to the ends of the earth....to the ends of my earth. Have I? No. Yes, I've mentioned God and pointed things back to Him, but I've not been on my face before the Lord begging for their salvation. I haven't. I get so caught up in the frustration of the situation and how I think this little boy is not being treated fairly and how I think they are wrong in decisions they are making....and I haven't even stopped to bring salvation to my "ends of the earth."
*Punch in the gut*
If it were me facing death right now, I'd be on my knees before the Lord begging for the people in my life that I know don't know Him. I'd be very intentional about conversations with my high school students. I live life differently.
Death makes you think.

I am a part of a church that supports a group of people, who are raising up kids in the Christian faith, and the goal is for them to go back out and bring salvation to the "ends of the earth" or back to where they came from and spread the gospel. They were in need of a worship center, it would be the first of its kind in the area they are located! The project would take about $20,000 to build and in one weekend we raised $20,026 for this worship center to be built!!! Isn't that amazing!!!

Being a part of "bringing salvation to the ends of the earth" in this way is an incredible feeling! I think though, yes its easy to give money to help build this worship center, but "bringing salvation to the ends of the earth" has a whole new meaning when you are in the muck and the mud of a situation. When your emotions are raw and you feel pain and hurt....to the ends of the earth, looks different. Feels different. Its harder, its messier. Sometimes I just want to check out and say "All done." I don't WANT to bring salvation to the ends of the earth today.
And then I'm thankful for grace. That He doesn't just leave us where we are, that he brings people, and His Word to sustain and encourage us. Bringing us back into focus, to REMEMBER....."this is what the Lord has commanded us......that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth."
And that IS the point.