Step Out and Step Up

I was talking with HQ about the need for more brothers in the church to step out, and step up.

When I asked him what it means to step out, and step up, he replied:

It means to step out of our comfort zones to meet the needs that we see, and to step up to respond to God's calling for you.

It doesn't necessarily mean that one has to follow the "standard progression" of becoming a shepherd, core-team, CL, UL, SDL, DL, etc. etc...

No, what it means to step out is to see the need, no matter how lowly or menial the task. Do you see feet that need to be washed? Toilets to be cleaned? Then step out to stoop and wash. "The least among you shall be the greatest."

Do you sense God's calling for you to fulfill a particular mission for Him? Then step up to the front-line and spend all that you have to see it done, "though it be blood to spend, and spare not."

I felt very encouraged after hearing that. Because I think the path to working with children, for me, will be a challenging one. Yet I see the importance, for I see in every child, by the grace of God, to be future world-changers, leaders and disciple-makers.

I love this hymn, "So Send I You". I know I wrote about this song before, but I really find it so meaningful.

One thing that struck me was the two versions of the same hymn. I think it's so important to read both of them in chronological order, for they reflect the feelings and thoughts of the Christian who wants to respond to Christ's call to come follow Him. Am reminded again to step out and step up.

"So Send I You" - revisited
[...]
Margaret Clarkson revised her own famous words, after contact with missions first-hand...

Margaret Clarkson wrote the more-famous and well-known words to "So Send I You" in 1954. Apparently, it expressed her idea of what missionary work would be like, having had no experience herself. But, by 1963, she had a more Biblical and mature view of the Lord of of Mission work. Her perspective changed considerably. So re-wrote the lyrics to "So Send I You".

Unfortunately, most hymnals only include and/or we only sing the original words. It would be better to sing the later lyrics. See the texts below:

Margaret Clarkson, 1954
So send I you -- to labor unrewarded,
To serve unpaid, unloved, unsought, unknown,
To bear rebuke, to suffer scorn and scoffing --
So send I you, to toil for Me alone.

So send I you -- to bind the bruised and broken,
O'er wand'ring souls to work, to weep, to wake,
To bear the burdens of a world a-weary --
So send I you, to suffer for My sake.

So send I you -- to loneliness and longing,
With heart a-hung'ring for the loved and known,
Forsaking home and kindred, friend and dear one --
So send I you, to know My love alone.

So send I you -- to leave your life's ambition,
To die to dear desire, self-will resign,
To labor long, and love where men revile you --
So send I you, to lose your life in Mine.

So send I you -- to hearts made hard by hatred,
To eyes made blind because they will not see,
To spend, tho it be blood, to spend and spare not --
So send I you, to taste of Calvary.

"As the Father hath sent Me, So send I you."

Margaret Clarkson, 1963
So send I you -- by grace made strong to triumph
O'er hosts of hell, o'er darkness, death and sin,
My name to bear and in that name to conquer --
So send I you, My victory to win.

So send I you - to take to souls in bondage
The Word of Truth that sets the captive free
To break the bonds of sin, to loose death's fetters --
So send I you, to bring the lost to Me.

So send I you -- My strength to know in weakness,
My joy in grief, My perfect peace in pain,
To prove My pow'r, My grace, My promised presence --
So send I you, eternal fruit to gain.

So send I you -- to bear My cross with patience,
And then one day with joy to lay it down,
To hear My voice, "Well done, My faithful servant --
Come share My throne, My kingdom and My crown!"

"As the Father hath sent Me, so send I you."