εκβαλλω

If you tarry till your ready,
You will never come at all.

Last night was Ash Wednesday and I've decided that similar to the Maundy Thursday service, I want to make sure I celebrate both days for the rest of my life. Certainly, I want to be careful to not make them merely traditional events, but to enjoy them as simple reminders of my need to surrender my life over to Jesus. To me, it's similar to Valentine's day. I love that holiday! People look at me funny when I say that, but I simply say that "Yes, I want to be able to love someone every day of the year, but it's nice to have a reminder to show that love. And it's nice to have another excuse to spoil the person you love too!"

Perhaps that's why God had set aside so many days of celebration for the Hebrew people in the Old Testament. Oh wait, that's exactly why He did so. So they would remember!!

But onward to the main point. The lyrics above come from a song we sang at the Ash Wednesday service, and I couldn't help but think about the fact that I'm leaving in August. At last week's conference, we talked about the fairly famous verse:

"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."
(Matthew 9:38)

The teacher that morning pointed out that the verb for "send out" in the greek is εκβαλλω, which happens to have a very forceful meaning. I remember this verb βαλλω being used a lot in my days of translating the battle scenes in Homer's Illiad. It means to throw, or cast out (the εκ is where we get the "out." It's also in the noun for the church that literally translates "called out"). In fact, we see the same verb used just a few verses earlier in participle form when Jesus casts out a demon.

So why this strong phrase being translated as "send out"? Doesn't it seem a little odd? Send out seems so pleasant, as if to say, "Aww shucks, Jesus is calling you to go to a new place and share the gospel! Here's a flannel board to help you out."

It sounds easy.

Until we read the next chapter that is a speech from Jesus to his 12 disciples and is full of caution and wisdom. The journey they were about to embark on would assuredly be difficult!

The teacher at the conference had pointed out these verses:

"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it." (Matthew 12:43-45)

εκβαλλω here is translated as comes out. The teacher explained that the evil spirit was looking for rest, a condition only capable in its original inhabitance. Much like those who leave the comforts of their homes to go to a place perhaps much less desirable for the sake of the gospel. A place more arid, if you will.

To which I ask myself, "Am I ready for that sort of casting out?" In an earlier post, I mentioned the many things I'm looking forward to if and when I go, but you can bet there's a longer list of things that I'm afraid of. The lyrics come back to me.

If you tarry till your ready,
You will never come at all.

Never in my lifetime will I have all my ducks in a row. There is always the next thing, whatever "thing" may be (sin issue, doubts to overcome, character change, location, etc. etc.). As keeps coming up over and over again, "It's about the journey and not the destination." Seriously, I think I've used that line about a dozen times in the past few weeks.

I was encouraged by a co-worker the other day who told me, "Wait a minute, you're single and you're taking advantage of it?"

I thought about how it would have been nice to make sure all of my debt is paid off, or to maybe even have a family started before I went so I wouldn't have to go alone. Then I remembered that I'd never be going alone.

"Yes!" I said then. And I say now.