To Send. To Serve. To Sacrifice

Jan 15, 2025

To Send. To Serve. To Sacrifice.

A MESSAGE FROM MATT DURKEE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for
us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” – Isaiah 6:8 (KJV)

I grew up in a church that deeply valued missions. The missions committee often hosted international workers who shared stories of God’s transformative work around the world. Their updates ranged from the joy of witnessing people come to Jesus to the trials of enduring adversity. These stories made it clear: serving the Lord of the Harvest is both a privilege and a sacrifice.

Each visit ended with a challenge and a call to pray for His Kingdom to come to the nations. From a young age, I was taught to pray those words: “Our Father, who art in Heaven… Thy will be done.” This prayer of surrender is also a prayer of declaration. Our Father will accomplish his plans on earth. Even in those times of adversity, missionaries would echo the same exhortation of Christ: in all circumstances, trust and yield to God’s perfect will, timing, and way.

Immersed in the example of these faithful Gospel stewards, my heart began to burn for the Lost. At 16, I found myself praying, “Thy will be done, Lord—and do it with me!” I didn’t know how, but I was certain God was calling me to missions. I was on the mission field nine years later, living out that prayer.

Prayer & Surrender

Prayer is where it all begins and ends—though rarely in ways we expect. True prayer draws us closer to God and transforms us in profound ways. But surrendering to “Thy will be done” will cost you. It will cost you your comfort as you trade your wants for His ways. It will cost you your security as you walk unfamiliar paths. It will cost you your future as you trust His plan over your own.

Yet consider what is gained—a life aligned with the Lord’s heart and character, seeking the lost, living out His truth, and pointing others to the hope found in Jesus.

So, I ask you: Who is willing to pray, “Thy will be done—and do it with me”?

Sacrifice is essential to fulfilling the Great Commission. We lay down our comforts and desires when we pick up His Cross. By God’s grace, men and women have planted seeds of faith and shared the Gospel worldwide. Now, we must pass the torch to a new generation. The Lord of the Harvest is asking the question, “Who will go”?

We need workers in the mission fields and senders supporting them. Both are vital to seeing His Kingdom come. Not all are called to go, but the time to say “Yes, Lord” is now for those whose hearts burn for the lost.

The fields are ripe, but the laborers are few. Will you join in the work? Whether as a goer or a sender, your “Yes” matters.

“Here I am, Lord—send me.”