The Urgency for Missions

I was praying at MM chapel when I saw a vision of a clock with its hand pointing like it was almost time. This vision gave me the impression that God is calling us with an urgency to respond to His call. It was 2019, I was still a trainee here at the SOM, Samal Center, Mission Motivators. It was during the Acquaintance Day when the Lord Jesus opened my eyes to see the need for global missions.

One of the activities that brought an impact on my heart was “Finding the Cross”. All of us, the trainees, were blindfolded and our goal was to find it. The moment I found and touched the cross, I saw a vision of Jesus smiling in front of me carrying the cross on his shoulders, then asked me, “Sam, are you ready to carry your cross?” With all excitement and strong conviction, I said, “Yes, Lord! I am ready!” Then, suddenly, I felt this heavy burden in my heart and I started crying, still, with a blindfold in my eyes. I knelt down and cried out loud. When I removed the blindfold, I saw many people at the beach. I hear the Holy Spirit in my heart saying, “These people are lost, helpless, and are going astray without Jesus in their lives.”

Everyone went swimming after the activity, but I remained seated under the coconut tree, unable to comprehend what was happening in my heart. My tears kept streaming through my eyes and I couldn’t hold them back. After we arrived at Mission Motivators that day, I went straight to the chapel and continued praying. The compassion for the lost, and the urgency to respond to His call just dawned on me.

Verse 26 says, ” When Jesus saw the crowd, he had compassion on them…”

Compassion is not just a feeling of pity or mercy towards others but acting on it. He went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness. Why did Jesus feel compassion towards these people?

First, Jesus saw the need. They were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd (verse 26). He understands that these people need a shepherd. They need help. Once, we were like them – lost, helpless, chained, bound by sins. Without someone sharing the gospel with them, how would they know the truth? Today, the worldwide population is about 8 billion people, and Christians make up 2.38 billion.

Mission Motivators existed because our founder saw the need for missionaries to be trained and to be sent out to the nations. When God gave him the vision and the burden to the nations, he responded immediately, leaving everything behind in Korea.

As trainees and staff, we are not here by accident. God brought us here not just to finish the training, but to be an alumni and go back to our place. The purpose why we are all here is to do what God has called us to do. Do you see the need that Jesus saw? Pray then to God to open your eyes to see the need.

Secondly, Jesus saw the harvest. Verse 37, says, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” There’s no problem with the harvest, the problem is the workers. What makes other Christians different from other Christians? These people are committed to God and devote their lives to preaching the gospel, saving the lost, praying and interceding for the nations, reaching out to the unreached, and willing to risk it all for Jesus.

The harvest is ready, and is plentiful, but where are the workers?

There was a time when I was praying at the old Mission Motivators’ chapel at 2 a.m. when God gave me another vision. I saw the very first chapel that was built, with no tiles, just soil ground, and the window was open. It was a small chapel. But what amazed me was, the chapel started to be filled with people, kneeling down and crying. So I asked the Lord what was the meaning of the vision. Then, in my spirit He told me, “Sam, the reason why you are here is because there are people who constantly kneel down, crying out to God for the workers to come to this place.”

You and I are here because we are all a product of someone’s prayer. They saw the need for more workers. In our batch, before our training, the staff were praying for 200 missionary trainees, but only 18 responded.

Dr. Paul Kim said, “It is not just about doing ministry. It is about your calling.” You may be doing ministry but not where God wants you to be.

Know your calling. Some are called to go. Others are called to pray and support the missions, while others are called to mobilize. 

There is a great need and there is a great harvest to be done.

Samuel Sanchez, Chaplin, MM Center