If in the sight of God you cannot say you are sure that you have a special call to stay at home, why are you disobeying the Saviour's plain command to go?
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of following one's calling and the duty to act in accordance with spiritual responsibilities.
Hudson Taylor's quote reflects the tension between comfort and duty, urging individuals to pursue their true purpose rather than remain in a place of complacency. It challenges the reader to reconsider their commitment to their beliefs and the extent to which they are willing to act upon them, especially when it comes to serving others and fulfilling a spiritual mission.
In practice
In a sermon discussing missionary work, this quote can inspire attendees to consider their personal call to service.
We are not only to renounce evil, but to manifest the truth. We tell people the world is vain; let our lives manifest that it is so. We tell them that our home is above and that all these things are transitory. Does our dwelling look like it? O to live consistent lives!
Brother, if you would enter that Province, you must go forward on your knees.
Too often we attempt to work for God to the limit of our incompetency, rather than to the limit of God's omnipotency.
When I get to China, I will have no claim on any one for anything. My claim will be alone in God and I must learn before I leave England to move men through God by prayer alone.
The prayer power has never been tried to its full capacity...if we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."
I have seen many men work without praying, though I have never seen any good come out of it; but I have never seen a man pray without working.
I even get inspired by movies that aren't very good, because there's always something good in movies that are collectively thought of as a failure. There's good in everything, I find.
If two billion people wanted to watch a robot fly by Pluto, imagine what it will be like when the first humans step on Mars. It'll be the most unifying event anybody could ever put on.
When the sun is shining I can do anything; no mountain is too high, no trouble too difficult to overcome. Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life's deepest joy: true fulfillment. What great thing would you attempt if you knew you could not fail?
As things stand now, I am going to be a writer. I'm not sure that I'm going to be a good one or even a self-supporting one, but until the dark thumb of fate presses me to the dust and says 'you are nothing', I will be a writer.
Dream, dream, for this is also sooth.
I can only dream of the day where seeing other disabled people on screen isn't a rare sight or where I don't get excited at the sight of other disabled people working behind the screen.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.