Without a deep and driving inner fire and passion to help the people who are lost in their sins and stresses and the trappings of this world, how will we ever make any inroads or take seriously the missionary call God has placed on each of us?
What if we acted as if the only reason our church was here was for the lost and hurting people around us? What if we acted like the only two choices we have as a church is to either reach the lost with the gospel or close the church? What if we prayed for the lost like we pray for ourselves when we are severely sick and in pain or when our loved one is diagnosed with cancer? What if we cared so little about our own lives that we didn’t care if we were mocked, ridiculed, persecuted or “not liked” or even considered a “weirdo” or “religious nut”. Only when we don’t care about our own temporary and earthly life will we ever be able to be an effective tool in the hand of our Savior.
Do I care too much about my life? Yes!
How can I not care about my life? How can I not care what happens to me in this life? How can I not care what others say to me or about me? How can I not care if pain or suffering comes my way so long as the people around me have the opportunity to be saved and set free? May it be that God helps me to follow Jesus’ example and empty myself and take the very nature of a servant.
Lord help me to not care about myself. Help me to care so much about them that I don’t care at all about myself and what I want and what I like and what makes me happy in this life. Lord help me to weep for the lost. Break my heart for the lost. Let me pour out my life as you did for the sake of all those who are lost and headed for hell.
Pastor Michael Johnson 