Daily Devotion

“The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of mission. The closer we draw to Him, the more urgent our desire for missionary work becomes.”

Henry Martin · Henry Martin's Diaries and Letters

Scripture

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Reflection

The depth of missions determines their breadth. Henry Martin reminds us that missions are not an outward activity, but an overflow of the inner life of Christ. When we lament the remoteness of the "ends of the earth" or the arduousness of a mission to Africa, we should first turn inward and examine: Am I drawing closer to the source of missions? The descent of the Holy Spirit not only gives us the ability to work, but also the compassionate heart of Christ for sinners. Without this "closeness" to the Lord, missions are merely a futile journey; with the Spirit of Christ, even a simple, short mission can become a life-changing testimony. How far we go outward depends on how deeply we are rooted in the Lord within our inner world.