What have I to miss?

One of the things that my Bible college pushes is missionary work. Now when I think of missionary work, or people who are missionaries, I think of people who live a life of discomfort and with great hardship. I always thought of it as something to be avoided. I really, really did not want to be a missionary. And of course all the guilt that comes with that. I felt a crushing guilt for the majority of the first half of my semester. Every time someone would stand up and talk about the work being down in far flung countries, and as we were being encouraged not to have any ties, anything to hold us in one place. To be ready and waiting for God  to call us to some country.

Three quarters of the way through the semester, a speaker stood up; and offered a more balanced view. Every Christian, no matter where they are, or what they do, is a missionary. The world is full of lost and needy people. You don't have to be in Africa or Russia, there are plenty of people to share with all around you.

My realisation was that I am free, and untied. I live out of two suitcases. My childhood bedroom is no more; it doubles as my youngest sister's room and my Dad's study. I have maybe three medium sized boxes of miscellaneous items, that are unnecessary and superfluous. I have no debilitating desire to return to my own country. The only thing that I miss is my family. But I do not miss places, or things. I am free to go wherever, and more importantly whenever. There is no great community of friends calling me back to a particular place. Life is unpredictable and seemingly to us, random. But God is in control and as I look back over my life I can see how everything that has occurred in my life has allowed me to be unrestrained. I am not one of those people who feels a deep sense of patriotism to the country of their origin. I feel no great belonging to a certain country or region.

Since August I have condensed my life down to two suitcases and have twice picked them up and moved on. I am ready to go anywhere. The feeling of lightness and ease of mobility is freeing and in a strange way joyous. Life is strange, but wonderful. And the lighter your suitcases, the easier and more enjoyable it is.