Seeing the difference between mission and vision
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"So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him. For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills. It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey. It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking. It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills. When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you" (Deuteronomy 8:6-10).
It is not uncommon for people to use the words mission and vision interchangeably. However, they do not mean the same thing. This chapter helps us understand the difference.
Verse 6 gives us the mission:
"So obey the commands of the Lord your God by walking in his ways and fearing him."
Verses 7-10 give us the vision:
"For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of flowing streams and pools of water, with fountains and springs that gush out in the valleys and hills.
It is a land of wheat and barley; of grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates; of olive oil and honey.
It is a land where food is plentiful and nothing is lacking.
It is a land where iron is as common as stone, and copper is abundant in the hills.
When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you."
Daily duties and daring dreams each reside in our hearts and minds. Dailies feel like drudgery in the absence of a compelling dream. Dreams devolve into fantasies when we do not take the necessary steps to turn them into reality. Step by step, a mission is accomplished. God-given identity and direction make dreams come true.
What must you do today? What are the daily habits that improve your life and the lives of others? What do you do that empowers you for selfless service in Jesus' name? This is your mission.
Where is this leading? What do your daily habits make possible? How will your life enrich and improve everyone you meet? What salt and light, beauty and wonder will you allow God to produce in your life so that it overflows into the lives of others? How will this build a better you, a better family, a better community, and a better world? This is your vision.
Verse 6 tells us to obey God's commands step by step in awe of who he is.
Verses 7-10 describe the blessings of obedience.
A mission of purposeful steps and a vision of a preferred future make life meaningful.
- Where will you go with God today?
- What is the special future he has for you?
- What is your best next step?
Our Father, lead me step by step through this day. Lead me ever-forward into the special future that can be true as I follow the dream you have placed in my heart. Deliver me from diversions and fantasies. Empower me to live the kind of life that enriches others. Amen.
 | David Bowman, (DMin, PCC) is the Executive Director of Tarrant Baptist Association in Fort Worth, Texas. He also serves as a Multiplying Trainer for Future Church Co. Learn More » |
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