“Has the God who prepared the Gospel for all peoples also prepared all the peoples for the Gospel?”1
This question opens a window into the incredible truth that God has been at work in every culture and community, preparing hearts to receive the good news of Jesus Christ. Across the globe, there are countless stories of people who have longed for the truth, sometimes for generations, and who are ready to embrace it if only someone would go and share it with them.
Take the story of the Karen people of Myanmar. For centuries, generation after generation, they clung to a prophecy that one day, a white brother would come with a book from God, a book that would reveal the truth they had been seeking. They repeated to their children the words of truth they still remembered from long ago and kept alive the hope that, sometime in the future, God will send someone who will guide them in the path of their Creator.
For years on end, the Christian community sent no one to this people group, numbering millions of individuals. When missionaries finally arrived with the Bible, the Karen people immediately recognized it as the fulfillment of their hope and joyfully accepted the gospel. It’s a powerful reminder that God had already been working in their midst, preparing them for the moment they would hear about Jesus.
However, Christianity never became the main religion of the Karen as the propagation of the gospel has been hindered by historical and ongoing challenges. It’s plausible to consider that if the Karen had received the gospel earlier, the religious landscape might be different today. Early exposure could have allowed Christianity to become more deeply rooted before the onset of political conflicts and external pressures. A more established Christian presence might have provided a stronger foundation for the community to withstand subsequent challenges.
Stories like this should inspire us but also stir us to action. How many other communities are still waiting? How many generations have passed away without hearing the good news because we, as Christians, have been slow to respond to the Great Commission? It has been said that “Significant numbers
of non-Christians have proved themselves many times more willing to receive the Gospel than we Christians historically have been to share it with them.”1 This sobering reality challenges us to reflect on our priorities and our commitment to the mission Jesus entrusted to us.
Ellen G. White speaks directly to this responsibility: “Christ’s last act before leaving this earth was to lay upon His disciples the charge to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. But the church has neglected her appointed work.” (Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 5, p. 206). This neglect has real consequences. Every delay means more people live and die without ever hearing the name of Jesus, despite the fact that God has already placed eternity in their hearts—a longing for Him that only the gospel can satisfy.
The question we must ask ourselves is this: What is holding us back? Ellen White’s words challenge us further: “Why is it that there are not more missionaries? Why is it that the love of Christ does not constrain men and women to go to the ends of the earth?” (The Home Missionary, November 1, 1893). The love of Christ should compel us to act, to move beyond our comfort zones, and to bring the light of His love to those still waiting in darkness.
Yet, even as we feel the weight of this responsibility, we can find hope and courage in knowing that we are not alone. God has gone before us, preparing hearts and opening doors. Our role is to obey His call, trusting that He will bring the harvest. The story of the Karen people shows us that when we step out in faith, God’s preparation makes the way clear.
God has worked on the hearts of people across the world, but He calls on us to deliver the message. We have the opportunity and responsibility to share the good news with “every nation, tribe, people, and language.”
Today, the need is as clear as it was when Jesus, moved by compassion, told His disciples that the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Billions of unreached people are waiting for you to accept the call to take the gospel to the whole world.
God prepared their hearts. Will you be His hands?
1Eternity In Their Hearts – Don Richardson
