Friday, October 06, 2006

"We must aim higher"

"As God's people we must aim higher. I believe it is because of a lack of vision, reality, action, prayer and hard work that the world is not evangelized 2000 years after Jesus gave the command. About 25 percent of the world's population has not even heard or read the Gospels. Is this God's fault? Has He failed? No! This is our fault and the fault of every believer who has lived since Pentecost. ... We must aim higher." -- George Verwer, May 1999

Is this true? I'd be interested to know what you think.

Followup. Saturday, October 7. I want to continue this post because, prodded by Jill's comment, I don't believe this is the whole story. In fact, it isn't even (at all) the whole story with respect to George because, if anyone is pressing on, year after year after year, working to reach the lost and encouraging others to do the same, it is him.

The story is told of a boy who was walking along the beach, throwing starfish into the ocean. One by one. He was doing this to save them - because, with the tide going out, the starfish would die on the beach; without the water they needed, they would die in the hot sun. So throwing the starfish back into the ocean was the only way to save them.

Someone asked the boy: "There are millions of starfish; you're barely making a dent here. You'll never be able to save all these starfish. Miles and miles of starfish will die anyway; what you're doing just doesn't matter."

The boy picked up another starfish. "It mattered to that one," he said, as he threw it into the ocean.

...

I want to tell you: even though so many are asleep to the reality of the lost, I am totally fired up. God is carrying out His Will, in His time, despite our weaknesses and failures. His Story is happening, and God has always known the day and the time that Jesus would return. We have failed, but God is unceasingly gracious, and He is on schedule. His Story is happening, and we can be part of it. Praise the Lord.

You may not know that the total number of people who have ever lived is 10 billion. Ever. And 6 billion of them are alive today. And most of them have heard of Jesus' sacrifice. True, 20% of the world has never heard, but 80% has.

So let us press on. Let's reach the remaining 20%, let's keep reaching out to those of the 80% who have not yet accepted Christ, let's desire to see our fellow believers deepening in their faith and walk with the Lord.

Yes, we must aim higher. There is no doubt about that. But "higher" simply means "Jesus." We need more of Him. And the more we get of Him through things like prayer and obedience, the more of Him will overflow out of us to others who desperately need Him.
ar TORONTO, CANADA | 2023+

APRIL


MAY

27 Sat (1) 11am Commencement speaker at R. University, (2) ~3pm+ time w/ V/AR+
29 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer, (2) 3pm mtg DerCh - Mississauga
30 Tue (1) 10am ph call (AA), (2) 5:30pm video mtg (IsTan), (3) 8pm neighbourhood prayer mtg

JUNE
1 Thu (1) 11:30am Zoom mtg (LM), (2) 4pm mtg (VS,KBr)
2 Fri (1) 10:30am ph call (PVDW; SL w/ boys; ~J working)
3 Sat SL w/ boys and MG
5 Mon (1) 9:30am VT prayer mtg, (2) 2pm Europe call, (3) 5pm mtg/walk (YM)
6 Tue (1) 11:30am lunch (GD) - St. Jacobs, (2) 4pm mtg (AF) - Cambridge, (3) 7:30pm worship night
9 Fri ~J's b'day
10 Sat North Bay trip
13 Tue 11am mtg (DAy) (~J school trip w/ ~Co | text BD)
14 Wed 9:30am time w/ BD
15 Thu 4:30pm video mtg (Paul T.)
16 Fri (1) 9am video med appt, (2) 15-km run (Prayer Journey "warm-up")
17 Sat Prayer Journey (my own: 50km GTA bike-ride; Jessie's: 5KM) and speaking at GTA after-party
23-25 Fri-Sat poss. SL
26 Mon 2pm Europe monthly call
29 ... July 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas

JULY
... 7 Thu-Fri poss. holiday in Arkansas
~8-17 SA+ in Toronto; P/H Bell likely visiting too
15 Sat aft+ baptism (Saj; NaB may be coming)
17-21 Mon-Fri Kids Kapers camp
24 Mon 2:45pm med. appt
26 Wed (1) 11am video mtg (SM), (2) 3pm Zoom mtg (SMa,SB), (3) 7pm ~J speaking at Greenhouse/Zoe - UofT downtown
27 Thu 10am video MVT board mtg
31 Mon 3:05pm med. appt
July/Aug CCWM board mtg / AGM

AUGUST
2 Wed 11am video mtg (SM+)
6-12 Sun-Fri Cottage w/ O/DN+ and UB/AC - Windermere; plus Muskoka
19 Sat poss. ~J fam beach day - Brighton area
25-29 Fri-Tue MoveIn staff retreat - southern Ontario

2023+
Sep 21 Thu - MVT board mtg
Sep 23 Sat poss. date of GV memorial
Sep 24 Sun ~Ch's b'day
Sep ~26-28 Poss. time in Lushnjë, Albania
Sep 29 - Oct 6 MoveIn Europe Conference+ - Durrës, Albania
Oct 21 Sat poss./unlikely date of GV memorial
Oct 21-27 Dollar-a-Day week
Early Nov Poss. fundraising event - Niagara
Nov-Jan Poss. time in India - Goa; Philippines - Manila+; Indonesia - Jakarta/Bali; LA/San Diego