God has the best trap; it is the trap of love. God reaches the world through the heart of missionaries. A true heart of a missionary is trapped in God’s love and they show the world the path to God’s door.
One night during family devotion and prayer the Holy Spirit manifested Himself through our six-year-old son, Josiah. We prayed individually and when it was his turn, he started praying, then crying and then the Holy Spirit began speaking prophetically through him. He prayed for over an hour.
The sentence that grabbed us was when Josiah was praying for his sister, that she would not go astray from God but that God should trap her in His love. Josiah said, “Trap us in your love Lord, I want to be a missionary and a preacher; I can do one first or I can do both at the same time.” It was the sentence, “Trap us in your love…; I want to be a missionary, I will go wherever you send me,” that grabbed us. I have been stuck with “Trap us in your Love,” since then.
Example of Paul
Meditating on this, the Apostle Paul comes to mind. Paul was a missionary trapped in God’s love. Paul, once the enemy of Christ, was now trapped in His love. He was against Christ and he was on a mission on the road to Damascus to do harm to Christians.
Paul states in the Bible in Ephesians 3:1-7: “For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles— if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.”
Paul acknowledges that he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ. He was apprehended by the love of Christ, whom he hated, while on the road to Damascus. His plans were different but he was entrapped for God’s purposes. Paul was entrapped because of God’s love for Paul. God wanted him saved and to be a missionary to the Gentiles. He wanted Paul, as a missionary, to reach them with the good news of the Gospel. Paul was entrapped by God’s love that God placed within him.
Paul was surrounded by love because God loved Paul and the Gentiles. In return Paul loved God and the Gentiles. Because of Paul sharing the love with the Gentiles, the Gentiles came to love God and love Paul. This appears like Paul was surrounded or trapped. The evidence of Paul’s love for God and the Gentiles is clear in Philippians 1:23-26: “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; that you’re rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.”
A Better Mouse Trap
The old cliché states, “Build a better mouse trap and the world will beat a path to your door.” God has the best trap; it is the trap of love. God reaches the world through the heart of missionaries. A true heart of a missionary is trapped in God’s love and they show the world the path to God’s door. “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture,” (John 10:9).
Are you trapped in His love to go for Him beyond the four walls of the church? Do you love God? Do you have a love for souls? Look beside you, look in your household, look in neighborhood, look in your schools, look in your workplace, look in your city and look in your world. Who is there? Who needs to find the path? Do you know? Are you going to find out and show them the path to God’s door? Now who can you tell about this better mouse trap (God’s love)?
God loves so many and not a few
His love is for others, me, and you
That‘s agape to the Gentiles as well as the Jews
God extends His arms to one and to all
Reaching with whoever hears his call
To preach and teach like the Apostle Paul
Trapped by the love of Jesus
On the road to Damascus
Paul’s love for Christ, he shared with us
The Gospel of Jesus for our Salvation
To carry on love gospel to other nations
God’s love for the world’s revelation
Taking flight like a dove
I am on mission from above
Because I am trapped in His love
(Written by Jacqueline Brown)
Most missionaries feel such a strong desire that they cannot help but go on the mission field. It is such a strong call on their lives that it can be said that they are captivated or trapped by the call for God’s glory.
“I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John 9:4).
By Jacqueline Brown
Pentecostal Theological Seminary Student
© 2009 Church of God World Missions