My People Group

"A Christian is immortal until his work is done."
-James Fraser

I just finished reading a biography about James Fraser, a missionary to China in the early 1900's. I was very encouraged and challenged to read story after story about this man's passion for these remote tribes of people. He would spend hours and days praying and fasting for God to move among the Lisu and spent five years there before he saw any fruit of his work and prayer.

I have always been captivated by stories of missionaries who have devoted their life to a people group in India, Africa, Latin America, etc. There are stories told about people who spend hours and days in prayer, asking God to move greatly among these people they have been "called" to...only to see God move in powerful ways. I have read about entire tribes of people that decided to follow Christ who then ended their practices of child sacrifice, female circumcision, or infanticide. It is always compelling to me to hear of how God works greatly through men and women who have given all of their energy, time, and life fully to be used to worship and serve God.

As I read about James Fraser's life, I was especially convicted this time about the way I see who I have been "called" to. I often think, prayer and total dependence on the Lord, is the only way many of these men and women have been able to stay in some of these countries that they have been in to minister. But why is my life any different? Why do I not think of the people of Phoenix as being my people group that I am called to? America is no different then these remote tribes all over the world...they need a powerful encounter with Christ. Just like child sacrifice and female circumcision can end overnight when a "people" trust Jesus to be their savior...so can child abuse, neglect, domestic violence, substance use, social injustice, etc...when God really moves on a "people."

Prior to reading this book, I do not think I have ever thought of praying for God to move greatly in this city that I am living in. I have never asked God to redeem downtown Phoenix and make it whole and a beautiful reflection of who he is. I have passionately prayed for individual people, I have felt "called" to the women and children I work with, but I have never invested myself so fully as to see that I was placed in Phoenix by the Lord specifically to advance his kingdom and bring glory to his name in this city, among these people.

If only we could stop distinguishing between those "missionaries" all over the world and ourselves.