When the Spirit speaks, it’s necessary to act, and encourage others to do so. Yet before action takes place it is necessary to cast a vision, one with clarity and simplicity. Now, what exactly meant by a vision? It’s simply asking the question of where are we going from here.
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” Mark 1:15.
Indeed, the time had come. It’s so important to proclaim a vision at the right time. Old testament prophecies that a messiah would come were fulfilled, and it was time for Christ’s twofold proclamation. This proclamation consisted of encouragement and exhortation. By declaring that “The Kingdom of God is near,” Jesus sent a message of hope. Yet along with that was a tinge of urgency that progressed into His call to action, “Repent and believe the good news!”
In this verse we see that Jesus acknowledged the timing of his proclamation, gave a crucial hint of what was to come, and an imploration of what should be done in the present instant. The time had come to proclaim the truth of the future and the fact of the present. And the simplicity in His proclamation is such an example and lesson to us that we do not need to ‘dress up’ what the Spirit is calling us to do. It must be direct and to the point so that when we share it with others, they can easily get the picture.
You see, Jesus’ call to evangelism was in fact his vision. A vision that people may repent and believe the good news. As Christians, we have been called to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), and to do this we must not only take action, but make a vision.
Proverbs 19:18 says, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keep the law.” Sometimes we get so excited to go out and do God’s will, after merely getting a hint of the vision, that we run off without waiting for the right time to proclaim the vision to others. Jesus waited for the Holy Spirit’s to give Him a vision of what was to come to give His people a chance for preparation. The question is whether or not the people were willing to face the reality and implications of his surprisingly simple call to action.
Whether you are a mother, student, businessman, or whoever, we can all learn from Jesus’ example. When you have something to proclaim, wait for the Holy Spirit to reveal just the right time, and deliver it with clarity and brevity. When it comes to casting a vision, Jesus sure knew what he was doing, so let’s follow His example.
My Heart Sings Hallelujah 