In a previous post I introduced you to the concept of the Missions Cycle which represents the “spiral of life”. I find these sorts of constructs helpful in guiding my interpretation of reality according to a Biblical perspective. The models provide a reference point for me as I assess the alternate realities we’re bombarded with on a daily basis.

To recap, here’s the Missions Cycle again:

So the Spiral of Life | Mission Cycle is: Glorification (why) => Vocation (what) => Location (where) => Salvation (how) => Glorification… and on it goes as more people enter his Kingdom, discover their purpose, and work it out in a specific place to extend his influence.

Follower of Jesus, here’s a challenge for you…

As a mission mobiliser I’ve spent a lot of time considering why people choose to get involved in a type of mission that relocates them. There are a host of different reasons, but one thing seems clear from Scripture and lived experience: God moves people. Moreover, God moves people for His purposes.

God’s call on our life has a number of elements. We commonly focus on “vocation” when we talk about a call but in doing so we tend to narrow its meaning down to what we DO. It’s much more than that. As suggested in the previous post, it is the sum total of who we ARE, out of which flows our God-ordained contribution to the world. To fully understand vocation and its role in the spiral of life its helpful to see it as an integral and inseparable part of the mission cycle I’ve described.

It never ceases to amaze me how people will spend so much time investing in an occupation without giving much thought as to whether or not it’s part of their vocation. No wonder there are so many miserable people in jobs they have grown to despise – their motivations are misplaced.

Let’s consider location for a moment. Often people will move because their occupation requires it. Sometimes they’ll move because they’re looking for a better quality of life for them and their children. Adventure can encourage people to move, or boredom. People usually only move out of the comfort zone of the known because of some compelling attraction (or violent action). But have you noticed that God rarely uses the power of positive attraction as a motivator to move people? In God’s Kingdom economy the priorities and motivators are very different.

Our reason for being is to work out our vocation in a specific location to offer salvation, thereby extending God’s influence in the world – by replicating ourselves as disciples of Jesus – for His glorification. And so the cycle continues through the new batch of believers glorifying Him…

As we head toward the turning of another year, perhaps it’s a perfect time to seriously consider the challenge of prioritization: what priorities are determining YOUR location? Right here. Right now. Why are you where you are right now? Are you there because God has confirmed that’s where He wants you to be or are you there because of:

God’s priorities are to make the message of freedom available to the whole world. He so loves the world, how could we not? When we take a moment to honestly consider why we prioritize where we live and then compare it with God’s priorities we can come to some uncomfortable conclusions. Fear not! God’s plan for your life is to bless you where He plants you, and don’t forget – the outcome should be JOY. Just be open to being uprooted by the One who moves people.

Follower of Jesus, two words will take you on the wildest fun-ride of your life: “Yes Lord!”  👊🏽