I received the following question some time ago and just have been covered up and unable to answer this. I will leave this here and hope that some of you give your opinions. I am really very busy getting ready for tomorrow right now and may not give my comments until Monday but this is a discussion that really needs to be thought through. Comment and be a blessing to your brother!
Say a missionary goes to learn the language of a "closed" country and then
before getting much accomplished gets kicked out of the country. Was the
risk worth it, time, and money worth it? Or is it a waste of the churches
money to send missionaries where missionaries aren't welcome. Maybe it's a
loaded question but I think about as we have moved two families into a
Muslim country and are planning on moving many more.
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3 comments:
No to sound super-spiritual, but I think that is not for us to decide. All God asks of us is obedience to His commission. If he closes the doors shortly after we go, then we have at least done what He asked us to do and tried to carry out his commands.
This question brought to mind a passage I’ve been chewing on for some time.
In 1 Samuel 14 Jonathan decided to go over to the “closed” country of the Philistines' garrison while 600 men including Saul sat under a pomegranate tree (Vs 2). Jonathan sets out to reach the garrison with his armor bearer, but before he reaches the Philistines he has to climb down a thorny rock and up a slippery one (Vs 4). It is Jonathan’s words in verse 6 that I believe make a great application. “Come and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.”
The application. Hey it’s worth a shot! Sure it will take a lot of effort to climb the rocks, especially if the Lord does not work for us and sends us back to camp, but it sure beats sitting under the pomegranate tree! God may close the door to a closed country, but what do you want to be doing when that door closes? Rock-climbing or sitting in the shade?
Good comments so far. I think the question needs to be asked to help people that are supporting the ones going, get a better grip on whether or not to even try to help send people into tough areas.
Yes, I believe the risk was worth it. We should keep sending missionaries to places where they are not wanted even if there is a risk of being kicked out because of the hope of what God can do in that “closed” country.
People can be reached while the m's are there. The m's learn a lot for the next family that tries going in later. We don't know who will be kicked out and who will not be. If one tries it, and does get sent home, then his example can urge others to try later at the same country or other ones like that one.
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