Thunderclouds Broke Over Clear Skies...

And five students from William's College sought cover on the sheltered side of a towering haystack. Their purpose in Sloan's Meadow that August day in 1808? To share their burdens concerning the unreached of Asia, and more importantly, to pray. As the rain bore down, they continued to pray. The result? The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was formed in 1810, and two years later they sent theirs first five missionaries overseas, to Calcutta, India. They were the first protestant missionaries sent from America to the world.

For me, this is one of the most powerful stories of God's children fulfilling his call. These missionaries had only learned of Asia from their studies of the East India Trade Company, and yet they devoted countless hours of prayer and meditation to it, and then commited their lives to the unreached people there, all before seeing a single picture of the land they would spend the rest of their lives in.

The question I constantly ask myself though, is why do these not occur today? Why have I never experienced something like this? What would it take for me to pray for two hours, in a rainy field, thinking about nothing but the unreached people? Sadly, the answer is simple. Live a Christ centered life. Nothing more, nothing less. To let go of one's idols, and all that we put in front of Christ in our lives, would open up an opportunity, one to by fully led by the Holy Spirit for the work of God.

That's easier said than done.