Exiled?

I'm reading a new book, Mark Driscoll's The Radical Reformission. It's about Christians being on mission for Christ by taking the gospel to their culture in order to change lives that will change their culture for the Kingdom of God.

I was reading this morning and he states that God sends us into exile (much like the Israelites of the Old Testament) to influence a culture that otherwise wouldn't hear the gospel. He, himself, speaks of his place of ministry, Seattle, Washington. He would have never chose to go there to plant a church. . .but God did.

I began to think about that in conjuction with being in the valley and wondered if God doesn't allow us to experience valley times in our lives so we can influence others for the Kingdom of God? Like our valley experiences are periods of exile. Now that does assume we are willing to be used by God and for God while we are in the valley. We don't have to, you know?! We could just sit and wallow in the mire of our valley experience hoping that one day something will change.

Mark didn't, and doesn't, have to allow himself to be used by God in what he calls "the most politically liberal, expensive yet unchartitable, and least churched yet most self-righteous cities in the nation" (p. 131). But he does. He allows God to use him in an area most Christians would cringe and whine like a spoiled brat of a child if they were to learn God was "exiling" them to such a place.

God is about furthering His Kingdom. The question I ask is, Will you help with the expansion process? Even if you're in the valley?

Expanding in Exile,
Mike