The Car Missionary

     I was blessed recently as I read a story about a couple named Robyn and Steve who have a counseling ministry that provides very little income. A family crisis forced them to embark on a 5,000-mile round trip in their well-used minivan.

After attending to the crisis, they started back to Michigan. While about 2,000 miles from home, their van began to sputter and stall. A mechanic looked at it and told them, “It’s done. You need a new engine.”

Unable to afford one, they had no choice but to coax the van home. Three days, a case of oil, and a lot of prayers later, they miraculously limped into their driveway. Then they heard of a “car missionary” who assisted people in ministry. Amazed that the van had made it, he offered to replace the engine free of charge. If Steve had gotten the van fixed en route, it would have cost him thousands of dollars he didn’t have.

Every Christian is a missionary in some respect. I know some Christian lawyers who act as “legal missionaries” who assist churches in legal issues. I know of some pilots who are missionaries who assist missionaries in flying into remote areas. There are missionary chaplains to hospitals and missionaries to prison inmates. I’ve also heard of missionary carpenters who help with church building construction.

You may not be called to a missionary to a foreign field. However, God may be calling you to be a missionary in your community.  Do you have a talent or gift you can use as a ministry to others?  Ask God how He can use your abilities in helping others in their work for the Lord!