URGENCY IN SHARING YOUR FAITH – PART 1
My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.
Romans 9:2-3 (NLT)
Years ago, I was speaking at a camp, and a woman with a prophetic gift came and shared something with me. After I was done speaking, she paused and said, Tonight, Bryan, I’m going to ask that God break your heart for these kids. At first, I was slightly offended, but deep down, I knew she spoke the truth. My heart wasn’t broken for the kids, and I was more burdened by preaching a good talk than anything else. The next night I was preaching and felt this burden when talking. I almost couldn’t finish. It was like I got a glimpse of God’s heart for those far from Him, and it nearly crushed me. I preached differently that night because there was a sense of urgency. It suddenly made every other burden I was carrying feel small and insignificant.
In the verse above, Paul had a sense of urgency, a burden that his Jewish brothers and sisters might come to faith in God. It’s sobering to me that the Jews were Paul’s worst enemy. They harassed and persecuted him throughout his life. All the burdens and threats he faced melted away under the greater burden for people to know Jesus.
Charles Spurgeon says this about the passage above, This great passion for souls gave Paul perspective. Lesser things did not trouble him because he was troubled by a great thing — the souls of men. Get love for the souls of men, and you will be delivered from petty worries… Get your soul full of a great grief, and your little griefs will be driven out.
Paul longs to see his brothers and sisters come to faith in Jesus. He’d give up his faith if it meant they found theirs. A deep sense of urgency drove Paul’s life. He felt this because he saw people separated from God’s love— unbelieving Israel who had rejected God’s love. The urgency of the Gospel has propelled missionaries to all corners of the Earth, often at a sacrificial cost to their lives, employment and family. Oh, how I want to have more of Paul’s spirit here! Do we grieve? Do we have an urgency? Do we long for our friends, families and neighbors who are far from God? I know that many of you do. That’s good. Nurture that grief with biblical truth and urgency that causes us to share and tell others the Good News of Jesus.
APPLICATION: You don’t need perfect words to be a light to others. Just let them know how deeply you know long for them to know Jesus.
PRAYER: Ask the Spirit to break your heart for those around you. Ask for a holy burden. Sharing your faith doesn’t come from your mind. It originates from your heart.