Reluctance, missed opportunities…
Reading Ezra 8, reminded me about a great leader who conquered mus of the Asian work in the 1200’s…the fearless leader Gengis Khan , ruler of the Mongols….
His request at one time had been…
“Send me 100 men skilled in your religion,” Kublai Khan wrote to the pope about 700 years ago. If they were convincing, he said, “I shall be baptized, and then all my barons and great men, and then their subjects. And so there will be more Christians here than there are in your parts.”
But Pope Gregory X, unable to see the future, only sent two. Neither made it Khan, whose territory at that point stretched over one-fifth of the globe’s inhabited land.
That was the “greatest missed opportunity in Christian history,” David Barrett and Todd Johnson wrote in World Christian Trends.”
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/rectifying-the-greatest-missed-opportunity-in-christian-history/
Ezra was assembling people to return to Jerusalem…and when he had counted them, found no priests amongst the people.
“I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name.”
Ezra.8.15-20
“Ezra’s progress back to Jerusalem was halted while he waited to recruit Levites. God had called these men to special service, yet few were willing to g to volunteer when their services were needed…God has gifted each of us with abilities so we can make a contribution to his kingdom work.” Bible study notes…
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.
1Pet.4.10-11
We may not be called to speak to a world leader, but we are called to speak or some other service for which we are prepared…
A missed opportunity is a missed opportunity….
Thank YOU…
Send me…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lO-UkeNNxaQ&pp=ygURU29uZ3Mgb2YgbWlzc2lvbnM%3D
https://aleteia.org/2019/07/29/the-untold-story-of-popes-letters-to-mongol-khans/
Christianity among the Mongols - Wikipedia
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