PURPOSES, PLANS, AND PURSUITS

You've gone back to the biblical days of Noah, after the flood. Look around, what do you see? For one, you notice Noah's descendants – multitudes – men, women, and children. And they are all speaking the same language.

With the crowd, you journey eastward, some of the people settling on a plain in Shinar, situated between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (later to be ancient Babylon, modern day Iraq). There, as you observe, they purpose to build for themselves a city and a tower that would reach to the heavens.

You hear their reasoning, "Let's make a name for ourselves, so we won't be scattered over the earth."

But God also hears them, and is saddened at what they desire to do, without regard for the desires of their Creator. "If as one people, speaking the same language, they have begun to do this," the Almighty reasons, "then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."

All of a sudden, there's a great confusion of speech – a babbling – and a scurrying about, shuffling here and there, each one scrambling to find someone s/he could understand. In groups, and tribes, and peoples – nations of men – they are scattered over all the earth.

And then you are swept away to another time.

You find yourself in the New Testament era, hearing the words of Jesus that He will build His church and nothing, not even the gates of Hell, will overcome it.

Continuing your travels through time, you find yourself hundreds (or thousands – we don't know) of years beyond the days of Noah, and the days when Jesus trekked the Promised Land. You are half way around the world – in the young nation of America. There, you watch for a moment as Marcus and Narcissa Whitman prepare to head West, zealous to work among the Cayuse Indians in the Oregon Territory.

The trip West is anything but easy, and not any better once they reach Oregon. There is land to be cleared, houses to build, and fields to plow. Much of Marcus and Narcissa's time was given to working the land. Being consumed with growing and harvesting crops leaves little time for their medical work, language study, and evangelism.

The Whitmans soon becoming prosperous farmers, Marcus succumbs to the grips of materialism. Narcissa, also, loses her excitement and zeal for their missionary work among the Indians, which drove them west initially. Having surrendered to such captivity, it is the Whitman's plantation that suffers loss by a Cayuse massacre....

And God looked for a man and woman who would zealously "stand in the gap," keeping their spiritual fervor, helping to build Christ's Church among the 'nations' (see Ezekiel 22:30). God continues His search today.

Consider God's Classified – WANTED: Heroes (m/f). No experience necessary; we provide all skills, ability. Committed persons of any age, gender, race, background, education welcome. Many positions open. Pay is extremely low but benefits are excellent (best retirement plan anywhere, guaranteed).

Perhaps more familiar are Jesus' words, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).

Genesis 11; Matthew 16:13-29; Luke 9:18-20; Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31.