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On a Mission


            My girls love the movie “The Princess Bride”.  If you have never seen it, you could come to my house and watch it, or you could just have my wife and daughters repeat every line for you (seriously, they have most of the movie memorized).  Though it was made in 1987, the movie is still very popular because it combines comedy, romance and, maybe most importantly, adventure.
            The two main characters are each on their own quest.  The hero, Westley, is trying to save his true love, while his partner, Inigo, is trying to avenge the death of his father.  (You may have heard people quoting his famous line, “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die”).  This mission consumes Inigo’s life.  It is all he can think about.  He is consumed with the thought that he has a job to do and that his life will not be complete until it is accomplished.
            While I am not advocating “revenge” as a motive in our lives (in fact, the Bible speaks directly against that), I do believe that there is something in us that longs for a “mission”.  We are attracted to stories of adventure because, somewhere inside of us, we want to be part of something bigger than ourselves.  That is what made the “Indiana Jones” movies so popular.  That also explains why we watch television shows about explorers in the jungle or about people climbing Mount Everest.  Our lives need a mission and a purpose that is bigger than simple survival.
            In the Bible, that mission comes in the form of a “calling”.  At various times, in various places and in various ways, God taps people on the shoulder and invites them to become part of his plan and his mission.  For example, “The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you’” (Genesis 12:1).  That is the start of Abraham’s adventure.  It involved risk, trust, hope and reward.  In other words, it had everything that a good adventure requires.  God had a plan for Abraham.  He sent him on a quest and because Abraham listened and went God did great things through him.
            These days, unfortunately, faith is talked about in muted tones.  Most people see a life of faith as being sort of boring and uneventful.  However, it should not be that way.  God is still calling us to be part of what he is doing in our world.  He is calling us to make a difference.  He is calling us to live our lives for something bigger and greater than ourselves. 
            The adventure awaits.

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