BIBLE PASSAGE:
I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.
(Romans 9:2)
MEDITATION:
Paul is a great example of how a believer should feel about the lost souls.
Before he was converted, Paul had a ruthless passion for persecuting
Christians. However, once he himself was transformed, he re-channeled
his passion in an entirely new direction. Now his desire was for everyone
to know the Lord as their own personal Savior.
He didn’t have the attitude of some believers to just ‘write off’
some people as, ‘hopelessly lost’ . Paul’s heart was broken when
he knew of someone who didn’t know Jesus. In Ephesians, he
talked about how Christians should live their lives.
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no
longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.
They are darkened in their understanding and separated from
the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to
the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they
have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in
every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. That, however,
is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ
and were taught in Him in accordance with the truth that is in
Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life,
to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful
desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put
on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and
holiness.
(Ephesians 4:17-24)
The apostle Paul laid out the condition of the lost with these words:
They are darkened in their understanding and separated
from the life of God…due to the hardening of their hearts.
He confessed that he was distressed that his fellow countrymen
had not yet come to know the love of Christ.
I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying,
my conscience confirms it through the Holy
Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing
anguish in my heart. For I could wish that
I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ
for the sake of my people, those of my own race
(Romans 9:1-3)
As we think about the condition of nonbelievers,
we can remember God’s heart toward them:
The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise,
as some understand slowness. Instead, He is
patient with you, not wanting anyone to
perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9)
ACTION:
Questions to consider:
– What are my feelings about lost souls?
– Does it break my heart to know that someone
will spend eternity separated from the Lord?
– What efforts am I making to show my concern for lost souls?
– Do I realize that as a follower of Jesus, I am also a disciple?
– Am I allowing my selfishness, self-centeredness, or laziness
to inhibit my efforts to participate in Your earthly ministry?
– Am I humble enough to leave my comfort zone if necessary
to serve You in some capacity?
– Have I been making excuses or justifying my reasons for not
putting forth any efforts to serve You because It might make
me feel uncomfortable?
We should always be prepared to share our own testimony with others.
When we share our testimony, we should never have a condescending
attitude; we should welcome them to “come join us in worshipping the
Lord”.
Until we are given an opportunity to share our testimony,
we have a responsibility to pray for the lost. We might think,
“What if they aren’t lost?”
Pray for them if you ‘think’ they are lost based on what you
see in their words and actions.
For instance, some believers use bad language and if we are praying
for them (because we think they are lost), God may respond to our
prayers by convicting them that they should change their language
so others will know they are followers of Jesus (who did not use bad
language).
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, help me to have a heart for those who
are lost. Teach me how important it is for me to pray for
and share my testimony with those who seem lost to me.
Thank You for sending someone into my life to encourage
me to make You my Lord and Savior. Help me to prepare
and be ready to share my testimony with anyone at any time.
Show me any area of my own life that might cause others to
think I have not been saved by You. Reveal to me if I am being
selfish and help me to replace it with unselfishness. Jesus, You
were unselfish and if I am a true follower of You, I should be
unselfish too. Show me where I can serve You, Lord. If You
have not shown me where You want me to serve, then teach
me how to be an encourager to those who are following Your
path for them to serve. Show me how I can tell others about
how they have been called by You and what they are doing as
a result. Let that be my service until I know where You have
specifically called me to serve.”
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