People Matter Daily Devotional: October 4

A Word From God’s Word
Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.“

Mark 16:14-16 (NIV)

A Word From Pastor Carl
It is amazing to me! The Lord gave the Great Commission, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”, not to His angels’ bands. He gave it to the Church, to you and me. Such trust calls for a strong response.

Unbelieving people in the nations of the world matter to us. Some of us become long term – career missionaries – like Tim and Rita Nickel. A growing number become short term missionaries. Others travel in mission teams every year like our Haiti groups. And, some women gather in study-prayer-action groups like the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League. Marlene Carr is our LWML – First Trinity Leader. More information at www.lwml.org.

Part of our weekend offerings are shared with the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod World Mission. And, one is impressed by the Mite Box offerings of the LWML groups. In June in their national convention in Portland, OR, the LWML pledged for 2009 – 2011 a mission goal of: $1,825,000. These mission grants include: Pastoral Training in Tanzania; Body and Soul Care for Children in India; Braille Bibles in Africa; Training Kyrgyzstan Locals for Evangelism; Assisting Disabled Children in the Dominican Republic; Humanitarian Care Outreach in Kazakhstan; and Mission Field in North Korea.

And, we find time to pray for our missions and missionaries. You can download prayer cards at: www.lcmsworldmission.org/prayer cards. One missionary shared recently, “We know when a congregation is praying to the Lord for our work among the Garifuna people of Guatemala. We sense their care and concern.”

What joy to be a part of the vision of First Trinity! It includes the missions for Christ around the world. People of other nations matter to us.

All of our Christian families, back in history, received the Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection from other nation missionaries. So we pass the Gospel of Jesus to other clans of the world.

Pastor Carl Streufert is our Spiritual Care Pastor.

A Word With God
Lord of the nations, continue to expand our First Trinity vision to include the unbelieving, needy people of the world. They matter. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.