Reality Check - By Nature, By Grace
Mission is great. It allows you to spend time focusing purely on God, preaching His word, and sharing the gospel. It reminds you of the important things in life; of the desperation of those outside of Christ, and of the hope awaiting those within. It's a time when it's so obvious that God is working; through the church, through the team - even through you.
And yet the great irony of mission (at least for me) is that it can leave you all puffed up. You start reflecting on how great a speaker you are, how much you know about God and the bible, and how important you are within God's plans.
And so, you fail to remember the very thing you preach:
We were by nature objects of wrath. Ephesians 2:3b
Isn't funny how God always finds away to bring us back to earth! Now, post-mission, as I once again struggle with sin and temptation, I am reminded that it's not me worthy of the glory, but God. It wasn't me who did wonders on mission, but God!
God is the one who pulled off the real miracle, in transforming a lowly tongue-tied sinner like me into an outlet for His word.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5
It is only by grace that we have been saved. May we never forget it.