There is a great song by Matthew West called “My Why” it includes these lines...
Knowing my Jesus and making Him known
Following Him where He calls me to go
And running this race knowing I’m running home
Every day of my life
That’s my why
I’m fixing my eyes on a heavenly prize
So if anyone asks yeah that’s my why
The often unspoken and sometimes question we are asked is Why. Why do we do what we do? why are we willing to move to other nations? how did we know that God was calling us to go? along with many other variations of those questions. I’m not sure if I can explain it in a way that others can understand, but I will try.
I never felt God’s leading to be a missionary in the first 50 years of my life. I joke often that when missionaries would come speak at churches we attended and asked for people with a calling for missionary work to come forward for prayer, I would say “there they are, send them God.” I think God has gotten the last laugh on that one!
I can’t say that magically one morning I woke up and said, “Yes Lord, send me to Africa.” Over the years of ministry, learning to follow where He was leading became necessary for my life. I didn’t want to wander aimlessly, guessing where I might go or what I might do. I wanted and still want to live my life with purpose. The bible says that sheep know the voice of their shepherd and another voice they won’t follow, having a relationship with God and listening to Him speak to me and through me has changed me to the core. This relationship with God is such a necessary part of every Christians life. So many people settle for religion, a set of boxes that get checked weekly. Religion is a set of bonds that keep us tied to trying to earn our way into heaven. It isn’t life giving or freeing, that comes from relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In one church we pastored, John asked the question “how many of you have heard God speak to you?” He and I were the only ones with hands raised in a crowd of 50+ including elders and deacons. How do you do life without the prompting and directing of the Holy Spirit?
I have a testimony to share...last year when Zeke and I came home mid-year for his doctor and dentist visits we had a bit of a problem with the tires on our vehicle. I had two new ones put on but noticed over the next few weeks that we had a bit of a wobble on the front end. I thought maybe a tire needed to be balanced but thought it could wait until John was home. The morning of our departure, I had to run to the bank for some traveling money. When I got back into the car at the bank, I heard the Lord saying, “go get the tire looked at.” I argued with God and said I don’t have time today, He just repeated, “go to Fame (our tire place) and get it looked at.” So, still frustrated at the delay I drove to get the tire looked at. The owner is a friend of John’s and so I told him what the front end was doing, and he said he would look at it. When he lifted the car on the rack, the step rail on the driver's side detached on the front end and was just hanging there. He managed to remove it completely and replaced the two front tires as one had a big bulge on it. What if I hadn't listened and the front tire blew, or the step rail detached while driving 70mph on the highway, or if it fell off at the airport? I don’t know what could have been done or what accident it might have caused.
This is just one example of how listening to my Father’s voice has saved me. So essentially that is My Why. My Why is hearing His voice and obeying what I hear. Yes, I do check in with John and I always make sure what I hear lines up with the bible, but obedience is my reply. No, I’m not perfect, I don’t always get it right and as you read in the testimony I do argue with Him quite often although I never win! Now some more lyrics...
And when I cross that finish line and my race has been run
May the reasons why I lived my life come down to just this one
To look into my Father’s eyes and hear Him say “Well done”
That’s My Why! I hope this has encouraged or maybe challenged you. I’m available if you need to chat or ask any questions. Thanks for joining me as I share this incredible, challenging adventure that God has called us to! Keep us in your prayers!
Matthew West - My Why (Lyric Video) - YouTube
