We are not only saved, we are also sent.
September has been so heavy for many of us. I’m thankful that God led me to focus on prayer for endurance this month because I would’ve been disheartened otherwise. This last bible journaling page is in Hebrews 12 which I think is a fitting end.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Hebrews 12:1-3
These verses are a summary of sorts of the previous chapter which gives many examples of those who have gone before us. Those who witnessed, or provided testimony of who God is, with their lives. Those who endured to the end in faith.
People who walked in obedience to God while looking to the future He promised they would have with Him. People who said yes to being used by God.
People like Abraham who was called and sent, and he went while not knowing where he was going. He did not see the nations that would come from him, as promised by God, but he did see God’s faithfulness in the steps towards that future.
Stories of these witnesses are a great source of encouragement to us as we run our own races. They did it and so can we because God is with us.
Pray with awareness of your purpose
Praying like you are on mission means praying like you know why you are here, wherever you may be, at such a time as this.
Jesus told His disciples to go out into the world and make disciples of every nation. He did not say make believers but make disciples.
Disciples are those who follow their teacher, learn from them, and then go on to live like them. Disciples of Jesus Christ, which is what we are as Christians, learn from Him and then live like He did. He enables us to do this through the power of His Spirit within us.
Several years ago, I assisted our pastor in administering a challenge to our local church. The challenge was based on the book called Surprise the World: The Five Habits of Highly Missional People by Michael Frost. His premise was that instead of telling the church how they should be living, according to scripture, we should also give them the tools to do so. The habits in his book were meant to be practiced so as to cultivate fruitfulness, and transformation in the process, so that we then live out these habits in a genuine way.
He uses the acronym BELLS to summarize the habits. I won’t get into them in detail, but very briefly they are Bless, Eat, Listen, Learn, and Sent. We grow in generosity by Blessing others with a gift, a cmpliment or word of encouragement, or act of kindness. We practice hospitality by Eating with others; connecting with them over a meal. We become more Spirit-led as we spend time intentionally Listening for the voice of the Holy Spirit. We grow to become more Christ-like as we spend time reading about Jesus Christ through the Gospels and other Christian texts. And, finally, Sent involves journaling. As we journal to reflect on our days we see all the places and people we were sent to.
We get to see ourselves as sent people wherever we are. In our home, church, workplace, the store, and in these online spaces as well. We see ourselves as sent to our families, relatives, friends, and even strangers. Once we see how and where God is using us then we can then go about our mission more intentionally.
With all this in mind, we should be proactive in anticipating the obstacles that would hinder us so that we can overcome them. We should be praying for the strength to persevere while looking to the joy ahead.
Pray for others as well
As people who have the ear of God we should pray not only for ourselves but for others.
There is a concept that I came across several years ago of praying in outward circles. Like a ripple effect with yourself at the centre, praying for yourself then those closest to you and then gradually outward from there extending to the world.
We should pray for those to whom we are very obviously sent, those directly in our lives, and about whom God gives us insight. We should pray for those who are lost, who we will never meet but are aware of; those imprisoned, those suffering around the world, etc. We should pray for those who are also running the race; who are living the faith and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Process and products used:
These pages in the NIV Journal the Word Bible (New Testament) features the following products by Creative Worship Stamps. These are affiliate links, please see the Privacy Policy for details.
- Nature Silhouettes 4 stamp set
- Vintage Floral Collection stamp set
- Clipboard stamp
- Herringbone Tiles stencil
- Worshipful Wordfetti stamp set
- Boss Lady Alpha stamp set
- Typewriter Alpha stamp set
The design for this page is similar to the Pray like you are blessed page.
I stamped the Clipboard image onto mixed media paper. I wanted to make it look a bit used or distressed. So, I used a light grey ink on the lines of the clipboard, and black ink around the edges.
I also stamped one of the florals from the Vintage Floral Collection onto mixed media paper. Given the limited space on the page, I only used the flower part. This stamp set has a coordinating die set but I cut them out by hand since the shape of the flower is not that intricate.
Next, I coloured them using watercolour paint. For the clip part of the clipboard, I used black paint with a lot of water so that it looks grey and then dark brown for the edges. For the flowers, I used a combination of yellow and green. After they dried, I used markers to darken some of the details as well as the edges.
I used the Worshipful Wordfetti stamps to add some reminders to the clipboard. Reminders to stay faithful, follow where He leads, and pray harder.
For the page’s background, I used the Herringbone Tiles stencil with a combination of green and light grey inks. I stamped the title using a combination of alpha stamps including the Boss Lady Alpha, Skinny Caps Alpha, and Typewriter Alpha stamp sets.
To add more detail to the background, I used a stamp from the Nature Silhouettes 4 set to add some black behind the clipboard, and the floral stamp around the page itself. I also used that same floral stamp again with green ink to add more detail to the background in a subtle way, as well as to highlight the verses.
I blended in some more green ink to finish the page before adding some white paint splatters. I also added yellow ink in some areas using the stencil to make it all look more cohesive.
* Watch the process video here on YouTube.
Be encouraged
🎶 Ghost ~ Sarah Kroger
As we can see from the examples given to us, in Hebrews 11, God will take us to those places where we have to face impossible obstacles, and where we need to wait and trust, so that we can live by faith and know that He is God.
Consider Jesus and endure with joy.
When you feel alone – consider Jesus who is God with us. When you are rejected and feel unloved -consider Jesus who proved His love in dying to save you. When you fail to see the point, fail to see the blessings, or feel ill-equipped – consider Jesus who was promised. When you fall short, when you sense your heart growing hard or cold – consider Jesus; the perfect human who paid the price. When you grow weary or feel discouraged – consider Jesus who endured to the end.
Consider Jesus Christ – He is the answer, He is the proof, He is our example. Consider him. Focus on Him. And pray.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:13
