Today’s Scripture: Amos 1-2
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. – Matthew 9:36
How do we get a burden for the lost? We must be in contact with people who need Christ; we must feel their anguish and spiritual need. But we must also pray that God will burden our hearts for these people.
A few years ago, we were living in a condominium where the walls were so thin I could hear the alarm clock of the people next to us. And sadly, those people were in constant conflict. I think their dog was the only thing holding them together.
And it made me mad. I told Virginia I was about ready to go over there and tell them to shut up. Virginia said, “Well, it’s sure evident that they need the Lord.” You see, we were both exposed to people who needed Christ. But I got mad at them while Virginia prayed for them.
One of the most important elements in being an effective witness for Christ is to have a burden for people who don’t know Him. We see it in Amos 1-2, and even in the prophet’s name, which in Hebrew is related to a verb meaning “to bear a load, to be burdened.”
It takes exposure plus the compassion of Christ to produce a burden for the lost. Christian, where are you in this process today? Are you getting mad at the lost or getting burdened for them? May God give each of us a burden, like Amos, to share His word with the people around us who so desperately need Him.
Prayer
Lord, give me eyes of compassion to see the lost as You see them. Amen.
To Ponder
A burdened heart is the beginning of a burning witness.
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