Filled with passion and zeal
When I was 11 years old, my family were members of a Baptist church in the Adelaide Hills, and my parents felt the call to mission work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua New Guinea. At our farewell service before getting on the plane, one of the late teenage young men from the church came up to me and gave me a piece of paper with a verse that had given him courage and comfort. It read;
The Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 1:7-8.
At 11 years old, about to leave for Papua New Guinea, it hit straight to my heart. It told me that, even though I was just a kid, almighty God was going to go with me, so I didn’t need to be afraid.
Fast forward a dozen or so years, and I started feeling God’s call to ministry. The same verse that used to be a comfort to me soon became a challenge – ‘go to whom I send you, speak what I command’. I was utterly terrified of public speaking (honestly I’m not much better now) but that same text gave me comfort – even though I am only young, God goes before me, goes with me, and will even guide what I am to say.
Sure enough, He has been faithful. In spite of my youth, God has sent me to His people and used me to minister to them. I am young, not only in years but also as a convert to the Lutheran church, and yet what God has taught me and given me words to say have been relevant and even new to many lifelong Lutherans. He even used me to speak to some of my most revered and respected theologians – because the content of what He commands us to speak is timeless; it is Christ crucified.
Over the last few years I’ve experienced, seen and learned that the youth really are an integral part of God’s church body. As youth, we often have strong opinions that perhaps go beyond our knowledge and understanding. That is fair enough – we take up God’s Word with passion and zeal, but lack the experience and wisdom of those who are older. Some of the opinions I had when I was in my late teen years I now look back on with horror! On the other hand, older members have wisdom and experience, but I have seen time and time again that the weariness of many years in this broken world can wear down their passion and zeal. Again it is fair enough – living through pain and suffering, witnessing the darkness of the world, makes one cynical over time. One man I had a bit of a debate with openly told me that I was speaking accurately according to scripture, but would ‘understand why we don’t need to obey it when I get older’. The years had worn away his convictions, making him willing to accept the world’s way.
What God has done to help us all is to incorporate young and old together, complementary to one another! The way He does so is to unite us in His Word. The young read and receive it with passion and zeal, but listening to those who are older helps to temper them and guide their actions. Meanwhile the older generation receive His word, but need the energy and passion of the younger generation to rekindle the fire in them. Together, iron sharpens iron, and we end up with a passionate church body, zealous for God’s mission, acting out our passion with conviction but in wise and thoughtful ways! It works! God’s way works!
So, for those of you who are young, don’t say ‘but I’m too young’ to be involved in God’s church – God has an integral role in His church that only you can fill! Go with confidence wherever He sends you and speak what He commands you. Even if you mess up, even if you might be wrong, God calls you to be part of His body. Christ has died and risen again to forgive you for any and all mistakes and failures, and has set you free to live in Him. Don’t be afraid, He is with you! He calls you to join in His mission of saving the lost.
Don’t let your youth make you think you have nothing to offer. I know from experience that God’s words are true. He has made your role vital to His church and He has promised to be with you. He will guide you, He will deliver you, don’t be afraid.
And may the peace that surpasses all understanding guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
By Pastor Lee van Rossen, Wistow Lutheran Mission