Moses Ali

Numerous splendid cities grace the United Kingdom. Owing to my academic background and fervour for education and students, I derive immense pleasure from frequenting Cambridge and Oxford. The allure and historical richness of both cities captivate me. In recent years, my visits to both locales have become increasingly frequent. A particularly delightful incident transpired during one such visit to Oxford. Initially, our decision to explore the city was impromptu and unplanned. Subsequently, upon our arrival, we found ourselves somewhat ill-prepared regarding places to visit and accommodations. This unexpectedness injected an extra layer of excitement into our entire journey.

While exploring various sites within the city, we happened upon a renowned pub hosting a spoken word event organized by university students. A tinge of melancholy enveloped us initially, as we were not affiliated with the specific college in Oxford. However, our despondency metamorphosed into elation at the pub’s entrance when we were informed that irrespective of one’s status as an Oxford University student, all were welcome to join the event free of charge. The realization that something special was accessible to everyone without cost added an exhilarating dimension to our experience.

Much like this free and accessible offering, there exists another gift bestowed upon us by our Creator – a gift so profound and universal: the gift of Salvation. Faith, the conduit through which we actively and willingly believe in Him, is the divine endowment enabling us to persist in our belief. God’s love for the world prompted Him to give His only begotten Son, ensuring that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

“Salvation is God’s way of making us real people”

– Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine aptly characterized salvation as “God’s way of making us real people.” Recently, as I revisited the Book of Romans, the words of Apostle Paul resonated with me. Quoting from Joel 2:32 in verses 12 to 13, he asserted that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” This salvation, a generous endowment from God, extends to both Jews and Gentiles who earnestly call upon Him. The linkage between verses 13 and 14, marked by the word “call,” underscores the centrality of invoking the Lord for salvation. In verse 15, Paul draws inspiration from Isaiah chapter 52 and verse 7, emphasizing the beauty of the feet that carry messengers bearing the gospel, as salvation emanates from hearing the message about Christ.

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’

Roman 10:12-15

The urgency and zeal for spreading the gospel to the ends of the earth, as demonstrated by Paul, finds resonance in the words of the early 18th-century missionary Henry Martyn. He affirmed, “The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.” The historical account of Johan Leonhard Dober and David Nitschmann from the Moravian community of Herrnhut serves as a compelling example. These lay workers, among the first missionaries in Protestant church history, displayed an unparalleled commitment, even offering themselves for slavery to reach the slaves they sought to evangelize. Their sacrifice bore fruit as the tiny village of Herrnhut, with around 300 inhabitants, became the source of over a thousand missionaries dispatched to every corner of the known world by the end of the century.

“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become.”

– Henry Martyn

As Dober and Nitschmann sailed towards the Caribbean, they fervently called out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering.” These men exemplified a willingness to go to extremes, abandoning all comforts to traverse the farthest reaches of the world for the love of Jesus and the anticipation that He might receive His reward—a people from every tongue, tribe, and nation.

Before we collectively offer our prayers, I leave you with a thought: What if God were to call upon you to champion the gospel in unprecedented ways, to blaze a trail for others to follow?

Lets pray:

God of rescue and restoration,
we thank you for Your great and beautiful mission in the world.
We pray for the seed of the gospel that have been sown all over the world by missionaries – many of whom were martyred. Bring life to these seeds that would spring up again.
Here we are Lord, fill us with Your Spirit and send us to spread your Good News.
We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!