My name is Kevin Keenan, and I am a missionary. It feels a little bit surreal to say it so bluntly like that, I mean I don’t really feel like a missionary… What is a missionary supposed to feel like anyway? I guess I’m not sure. Should I feel perhaps how David might have felt when he slew Goliath? I imagine he felt strong and unafraid. Should I feel like Elijah when he challenged the priests of Baal to see whose God was stronger? I imagine he had no doubt that Yahweh would perform a miraculous sign. Should I feel like Paul who willingly accepted imprisonment and beatings all for the sake of preaching the Gospel? It is clear that he felt bold and unashamed and ready to do anything for his God.
It would be ideal if I felt any of these ways. But the truth is, I mean if I am really honest, as a missionary I think I relate more to Jonah. Jonah was not a bad guy, quite the contrary! He had lived his whole life seeking God, growing closer to Him and serving His Kingdom. If we had stories besides for the infamous tale of being swallowed by a whale, I believe that we would come to find Jonah as a man of God to be greatly admired and looked up to. But instead, to Jonah’s chagrin, he is remembered as the prophet who tried to hide from the call God had on his life.
It bums me out to have to admit how much I relate to that. God seems to always call me to something that is uncomfortable and not a part of my plan! This is hard to understand, it can be very frustrating and I too have often tried to hide from the voice of God.
You can’t do it though. You can’t hide from God. If God is calling you to something, He won’t stop calling you to whatever that is. I mean come on, He’s God! He knows what he’s doing. Whom He chooses, he chooses with great meaning and purpose. There is no mistake made on His part. You can trust Him. You can also trust Him because just like in the story of Jonah, the end result will always be beautiful. When Jonah finally answered his call and told the people of Nineveh that they needed to turn their hearts to God, they did just that, and many found redemption. And so will it be for us when we obey. When we trust in God and accept the path that he offers, we will discover a precious and extraordinary life worthy of any discomfort or hardships felt along the way.
My name is Kevin Keenan, and I am a missionary. It is a call that God has on my life. And even though I may not always feel the way I think a missionary ought to feel, I trust that God is able to work everything together for His good purposes.
Say yes to God!
Kevin Keenan