Why should I stay?

Taking a quick break from the current series. It takes a while to write each one of those and school has been really busy so I haven't had adequate time. But I wanted to just share something that I have been thinking about a lot recently.

Missions.

I used to think it wasn't for me. Then I thought that maybe short term missions was good and I could do that. Now that I've done that, I can see God working in me. Three weeks in South Africa was honestly easy. I wasn't homesick. Sure I missed family and friends but I didn't really miss the States. I loved learning about a new culture. Being in a new place. I saw the need firsthand. The harvest is plenty. The workers are few.

I've been reading Crazy Love and studying with my college group at home. Jesus showed us crazy love. It doesn't make sense. That he would do what he did. It was crazy. Why shouldn't I do something crazy? Why should I just live the normal life? A mediocre life? Missions is crazy. Especially if you are an American. We have EVERYTHING here. We are so freakin BLESSED. It is easy to live here. Why not leave and do something crazy?

Why should I stay here if I believe Jesus is who he said he was? Why should I stay here if I say I follow Christ? He went places that didn't make sense for him to go. He went places where harm was almost certain. Persecution a guarantee. If he did it, why shouldn't I?

If I believe that every word he spoke was true, why should I stay? He said that he offers eternal life. He said that he offers abundant life. He offers satisfaction that nothing on the earth can provide. He says that hell is real and that those who do not trust in Him will be there for eternity. If I believe these things, why should I stay when there are so many people who have NO IDEA about this Man and what he did for them?

How can I be so selfish? How can I be such a pansy and exchange the glory of Christ for a nice 9 to 5 and a two story house? Why should my comfort be more important than the needs of the world?

Why not do something crazy? He did. See I don't think it would make much sense for me to do something like that. I mean in the next year I'll have a college degree. I have pretty good grades so grad school is a reality. Down the road I'm sure I could find a nice job that pays well. Raise a nice family, in a nice neighborhood. But why not take a risk? My accomplishments and and future success does not compare to Christ. As Paul said, its trash.

If I believe God is my shield and my comfort. That he is ALWAYS with me, why should I be scared to do something like that. Why not take a risk that's not really a risk if the One I'm following has never let me or anyone else down?

I'm not saying that I will definitely be spending the rest of my time in a foreign country but unless I hear other wise I believe I will be spending some time overseas. Don't know the details but God is showing me how great the need is how much he cares about the nations.

So I could really use some prayers for guidance and courage. It's easy to say all this stuff. It's a lot harder to go out and do it.