Ends Of The Earth

Ends of the Earth

Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.

Psalm 2:8

IN WORD This psalm is about the Messiah, and it emphasizes a solid biblical theme: From the call of Abraham to the praises of Revelation, God’s Kingdom is a worldwide promise. His heart is global in scope. Worship is appropriate in every culture, every language, and every corner of this planet. God has a holy agenda for the ends of the earth.

Let that sink in, and then ask yourself a question: Why is it that you can go to a backwoods village in the forbidding mountains of Bhutan and find icons of Western culture—but no church? Why does the neon glow of soda logos shine brighter there than the image of the Cross? Why do so many of the remote citizens of this world know the name of our tennis shoes but not the name of our Savior?

Our message is more compelling than soft drinks and sportswear. It changes lives more drastically than blue jeans and pop music can. It is more profound than our advertising jingles. And yet our quest for a global market has driven us farther and faster than our quest for a global salvation.

Perhaps it is not our fault. Logos and songs have fewer enemies than Jesus does. There is greater resistance against a gospel of repentance and grace than against a gospel of pop culture. American idols don’t demand a radical change of heart; Jesus does. The obstacles to His mission are great.

IN DEED Even so, there must be more we can do. When we read Psalm 2 and worship our Savior, we must be struck by the magnitude of our apathy. His heart extends to the nations. Does ours? His mission will not let Him rest until every lonely goatherd in every remote valley is reached. Will ours? Corporate executives have figured out how to saturate their market. Why haven’t we?

These are hard questions. Many Christians have a heart for all nations, but not one that will sacrifice anything to see the Savior there. But a heart that really loves Him will be passionate about His mission. Are you?

Christian mission is the only reason for our being on earth.

—ANDREW MURRAY