If you're planning to attend the annual Southern Baptist Convention meeting in New Orleans June 19-20, I recommend a visit to the IMB exhibit. This year it won't be a media extravaganza or a place to socialize and pick up lots of free stuff. It will be, in essence, a tent -- a place of prayer. There, you will find four stations where you will have the opportunity to deny yourself, to take up your cross, to follow Jesus and to lose your life for Him. When you emerge, you'll find visual representations of the thousands of people groups throughout the world who have yet to hear the name of Jesus, much less His loving offer of salvation. They wait for someone with God's heart, hands and voice to come to them with the joyful news. He longs to send someone. Maybe you are that someone. But you need to spend time in the tent first -- whether it be a physical place or an inner one. Psalm 46:10 is my favorite mission verse: "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Stop. Listen. Know. Be. Only then can you act in obedience -- no matter the cost. Only then will you know His power. Erich Bridges is global correspondent for the International Mission Board (IMB). Copyright (c) 2012 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press www.BPNews.net |