As a Christ-follower, it becomes really easy to use your spiritual gifts and your talents in the church and for the church, but lose Christ’s focus on reaching the people outside of the church. I used to think that missionaries had it easy, in a way, because God gave them a passion for the lost in the same way the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts. Now, I know better. While God does give missionaries a love for the people He has called them to minister to – the same way He gives Pastors a love for their congregations – God expects missionaries to cultivate their heart for the lost just like everybody else. It’s so easy to lose this passion in the everyday living, the “Let’s make it through today” fallback mentality we often succumb to. So, we have to make a plan to keep our passion for the lost vibrant. Part of my plan is finding scriptures to meditate on and/or memorize. Another is listening to and praying the words of songs which ask God to give us this passion. If you’re in need of renewing this passion in your heart today, may I recommend one to you? “Give Me Your Eyes” by Brandon Heath. Here are the words to the chorus, just to whet your appetite:
Give me Your eyes for just one second,
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I’ve been missing;
Give me Your love for humanity.
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted;
The ones that are far beyond my reach,
Give me Your heart for the one’s forgotten,
Give me Your eyes so I can see.
Thank-you Mara for these encouraging words. It is hard to keep the passion for the lost, even the lost in your own family. That has been a goal of mine. It is hard when you love them anyway, but they don’t share the same lifestyle and love for GOD that you do. Sometimes they can make fun and put you down, but I am trying to love them with GOD’s love. I will have to look up and hear this song to remind me of the words. ~K~