Mission Possible

As a child, I loved watching the television series "Mission: Impossible." Every episode began with an agent and a tape. The anonymous recorded voice would say, “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is…” My heart would always start pumping, waiting for the assignment and the tape to disintegrate. Then the mysterious spy-master would describe some wild and dangerous assignment, with little chance of success or survival.

The agent always chose to accept the challenge. I can’t ever remember him turning it down. It would put a bit of a damper on the show if the hero said, “Are you kidding? No way would I do that! Are you crazy? A guy could get hurt doing stuff like that!” Then he just walked away, never to fulfill the mission, with the tape burning up behind him. Thankfully, that never happened; he always accepted the call. Then, immediately, he would assemble the team, communicate the plan, set everything in motion, and follow through to the end. And I, would happily join the team in my mind. 

There is a parallel, I believe, with what God offers us (His sons and daughters) throughout our lives. At various points along the way (you never know when) God opens the door to unique experiences, opportunities, and challenges. Like the spy in "Mission: Impossible," we can choose to accept these undertakings, these missions, these callings, or we can walk away. Mark Twain said it beautifully:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” 

The choice is real. You can walk on the adventurous side of life and be an individual God selects for urgent kingdom missions, or you can close the door and close your life to experiences and memories that might have been yours — but instead, will never be.

A quote that often echoes in my mind is this one:

"For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been.'" (John Greenleaf Whittier)

Does this not grip your heart? I feel an urgency to accept the mission. I listened to the 'tape' in my spirit; the assignment is clear. We, as women and men of God, MUST be on a holy mission.

We must accept the call. We must see the mission all the way through until it is accomplished. Life can be a MISSION POSSIBLE!!!