All day, every day. 24/7. Sounds demanding, doesn’t it?
24/7 can be demanding, even exhausting. In fact, the days I’ve just spent in Buryatia, Russia, come close to matching that numerical phrase. Being almost constantly on the go, visiting ministries, meeting people, and soaking in new information, has left me with precious little time to write this article! But you know what? I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any different. David, our Regional Director for East Asia, and I have been so blessed to see how Christians among the Buryat people are living out their faith. They understand it to be a 24/7 calling. Every day. All the time.
Those of Buddhist societies who have become followers of Jesus Christ come to see readily that they are now quite different from others. Their lives are different. Indeed, the whole of their lives is wonderfully distinct. 24/7. However, this is not a demanding burden – but an astounding blessing and opportunity.
“I have been crucified with Christ,” explained the Apostle Paul. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
The “commissioned life” is first and foremost a saved life, a redeemed life. A new life, forgiven, loved and lived, every day, all day. God never skips out on us. He loves us and accompanies us 24/7.
Knowing – and by faith embracing – this 24/7 fullness of God’s grace toward us, will transform the way we live the whole of our lives, day in and day out, no matter the time, no matter what we are doing. Never does God’s love for us cease. Likewise, never do we cease being his children, in whom and through whom he is at work in the world.
Our “commissioning” as followers of Jesus isn’t really a job, per se. It’s not so much a round-the- clock obligation, but a round-the-clock God-given identity. It lends purpose, power, and great value to even the most ordinary parts of our daily lives. This is what Martin Luther spoke of as the “vocation” of the Christian.
“As our heavenly Father has in Christ freely come to our aid, we also ought freely to help our neighbor through our body and its works, and each one should become as it were a Christ to the other that we may be Christs to one another and Christ may be the same in all, that is, that we may be truly Christians…. We conclude, therefore, that a Christian lives not in himself, but in Christ and in his neighbor,” said Luther. “He lives in Christ through faith, in his neighbor through love” (The Freedom of a Christian, LW 31:367,371).
In all good and proper things that we might do in a given day, God sees opportunity to bring blessing into our lives and into the lives of others. He sees opportunity for his kingdom to come and his will to be done through the very ways we act and speak toward others in whatever we might be doing, whether that be teaching kindergartners, repairing cars, or bagging groceries. Whether that be walking the dog, mowing the lawn, or visiting a neighbor, it is God’s intention that his truth and love be evident in our words and ways. For this he has redeemed and called us. For this he lives in us.
The Christians we’ve met in Buryatia understand their distinctiveness at all times. Their Christian identity – and purpose – isn’t something they can wear for a morning, or a day, and then hang in a closet until Sunday morning rolls around again. Nor is ours. By God’s doing, we are God’s redeemed and God’s representatives. Every day. All day. 24/7.
In many parts of the world, Christians – and this may especially include those sent as global workers – can’t stand in a pulpit or on a street corner and proclaim the gospel publicly. Persecution prevents that. Their testimony comes through the myriad aspects of their daily lives: How they consistently act toward others and do their jobs. Their kindness and integrity. The things they share in a conversation. The things they offer up in prayer. We can only imagine all that God does through such 24/7 commissioned living, for he “desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).
By God’s grace the forgiven and redeemed life is yours 24/7! May you see by that same grace that the commissioned life is the same, and that living it just might change the world.
Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God!
1 Corinthians 10:31
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest.
Galatians 6:9