Our Heart's Desire

      “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1, ESV). What an example.

      Paul was talking about his Jewish brethren in the flesh. He wanted them to be saved. He prayed that they may be saved. Desire for their salvation just ate him up. However, this makes me think about us. Is that our heart’s desire for anyone?

      We must look around us. How many lost people do we contact every day? Do we ever remotely think about their salvation? I am as guilty as the next person. I go through life paying my bills, pumping my gas, eating my meals and rarely think about the souls of those with whom I come in contact.

      What about our co-workers? What about our neighbors? What about our schoolmates? What about our friends? What about our family? Do we ever pray for their salvation? Do we really desire their salvation?

      If so, what are we doing about their salvation? Are we waiting until that just right time when we think we might bring up spiritual things and they won’t get upset? Are we waiting until they bring up spiritual matters? Are we waiting for some major trauma that will open the door for spiritual discussion? What are we doing?

      Think of some very simple things we can do.

      We can make spiritual matters part of our conversation. When someone asks about our weekend, tell them about the time you spent with the saints. When someone asks how things are going, tell them how God has blessed you with something. Don’t respond with the cryptic, “Blessed.” Tell them, “Things are great. God has blessed me with sunshine, a good family, good brethren…” or whatever else you can think to add in. Maybe we can even just tell someone about something we read in the Bible and ask them what they think about it.

      We can invite people to our classes and assemblies. Take one of the cards with our assembly times. Write your name and number on it and hand it out to people. Give it to waiters or waitresses. Give it to bank tellers. Give it to people standing in line at Wal-Mart. Give it to neighbors walking your neighborhood for garage sales.

      We can ask people if they like to read their Bible and then see if they would be interested in reading with us. This is a great, low stress, low pressure approach. The worst they can say is, “No.”

      Whatever we do, we need to do something. I am writing this as much as a reminder to me as an exhortation to you. I simply remember Paul’s statement in I Corinthians 15:34, “For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.” Let’s not be ashamed. Let’s tell people about God.

Edwin L. Crozier