From our International Director

Posted on 30 March 2009.

Selwyn Hughes quotes Joseph M. Stowell as saying that the primal call of authentic Christianity is to follow Jesus. He adds: “He [Jesus] is looking for followers. So He turns again today, looks over His shoulder at us, and calls out as He did on Galilee’s shore: ‘Come on … follow Me.’”

If God has one Son and He made Him a missionary, then clearly a major part of that ‘follow Me’ is going to involve engaging in mission. Let me therefore suggest a practical exercise for the prayer topics this month. Go over again the six days of prayer topics above, and do not just pray through the prayer topics listed, but add one more prayer: “Lord Jesus, is there any way in which I myself can be an answer to my own prayers for China, its people and its church?”

Two of the days (Day One and Day Five) will be difficult for most of us to respond to, unless we are successful businessmen or women or unless we have a narrow range of special skills! But consider the others:

Day Two shows practical ways in which short- or long-term we can lay down our lives for the less fortunate in China.

Day Three is all too obvious. How can we “pray for students who feel a sense of despair and are considering suicide” and “pray that the Lord would reach into their lives to bring hope and meaning” – unless we are considering going and reaching into their lives, if we are in any way qualified.

Day Four, with its exciting testimony of reaching Chinese folk in our own lands, is too obvious an application to need enlarging!

Day Six is also clear. After a tremendous group of ASM students this current year, why are so very few willing to give their lives to the Lord to use as He wills in China this next year (2009-10)?

Day Six also gives possibilities for responding by giving to put essentially teaching books in the hands of believers in China, like the one whose grateful response is recorded there. If we cannot go, we can at least be an answer to our prayers by giving!

In these areas especially, and in other ways, can we not hear the voice of the Lord: “He (Jesus) is looking for followers. So He turns again today, looks over His shoulder at us, and calls out as He did on Galilee’s shore: ‘Come on … follow Me’”?

“Jesus, my Lord, my Leader, I am already one of Your followers, but I want to know more of what You expect of me. Open up Your Word to me. Lead on, Master; I will follow. Amen.”

Pray again for each of the fields listed above where there are openings for service in China, but where the labourers are few.

Pray specifically for any friends that you know who need help to hear the Lord’s call!