no.65 130704 Thank you for the team Mexico meeting

A delicious BBQ dinner provided by one of our team member!

We are half way into our meeting for Mexico. So far we had three meetings, and we have three more to go before our departure. We have made a progress today as we have made decisions on certain things such as which skits we're going to perform. All there is left to do is practice, practice and practice!

I'm thankful for today's meeting. I'm glad that the meetings are going well, and it's nice to see that things are starting to come together. We have little bit more than three weeks left before we take off. I've been counting down so I should know that we don't have much time left. But it just seems like we have a lot of time left. I really need to get back to studying Spanish, and also working out my arms because we'll be doing some construction work. I want to be prepared! Well, at least give it a try. I know I won't feel completely ready, but I hope to be equipped in the areas I can be. However, I shouldn't forget the focus of the missions. As we have read last week in an article called "Let the nations be glad" by John Piper, the goal and the fuel of missions is worship:

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.

Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It’s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God’s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. “The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!” (Ps 97:1). “Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy!” (Ps 67:3-4).

But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, “Let the nations be glad!” who cannot say from the heart, “I rejoice in the Lord…I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High” (Ps 104:34, 9:2). Missions begins and ends in worship.”