by John O’Malley
Click below to view the video version of this devotional.
This article is part four in a six-part series. Each article in this series focuses on the values we display when we are at our best. The five values are Selfless, Eager, Responsible, Valuable, and Exceptional.
The family of Kish’s female donkeys wandered away. Kish wanted the donkeys home. The donkeys were valuable for breeding and riding. Kish sent his son, Saul, and a servant to find the family’s donkeys. Saul and the servant were assigned a responsibility: seek the female donkeys and bring them home.
Saul’s responsibility was to do whatever it took, go wherever necessary, adjust his course as needed, and finish the mission. Saul’s relationship with his father meant he had the higher calling to find the donkeys and please his father. Saul sought the donkeys and kept his father’s heart close to him.
God used Kish to accomplish His will for Saul and Israel.
Saul found more than the missing donkeys. Saul saw God’s man — Samuel. Saul also learned God’s will for his life. He discovered God had more for him on the journey than to find the missing donkeys.
God does the same with us. He mobilizes us to fulfill an assignment, and while completing the task, we find God had more for us than the one destination.
God assigned you to seek souls. Your church commissioned you to fulfill a divine assignment. Your responsibility is to go wherever is necessary and adjust your course to accomplish God’s mission.
At first, you thought what you would find on the mission were eternal addresses would be changed, an indigenous church planted, and leave a spiritual legacy for the Lord’s glory.
You may realize now, on God’s missionary assignment, you found more than the “donkeys.” You found God’s assignment bigger than you could ever imagine. Perhaps, like Saul, you discovered more than the souls to whom He sent you. You found much about yourself, your family, and your God.
Responsibility is a significant aspect of missionary service. Responsibility is a massive part of our office culture at World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions.
Each month we perform thousands of tasks, receive hundreds of requests, and take scores of calls. Each task, request, and call we receive, we take as our divine responsibility. We commit ourselves to be responsible to God, the Executive Board, and you to help with your harvest work.
Being responsible means taking ownership of your request, following it through until resolved, and proactively finding solutions to assist you. We know we are at our best when we are responsible for the assignments you give us.
Each day each team member delights in fulfilling your request. We love to hear from you. When you have a need, we pray for you. When you rejoice, we rejoice with you. When you weep, we weep with you. Our responsibility to you is more than clerical; it is spiritual.
May God find us responsible whether we serve in the field or the office.
Yours for the harvest,
John O’Malley
If this article has been an encouragement to you, you can email Bro. O’Malley here to let him know.