Burdened for a Lost People: A Heart Cry from Romans 9
With distractions at every turn, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters. As Christians, we're called not just to secure our own salvation but to carry a deep, aching burden for those who are lost without Christ. This truth hit me profoundly when I reflected on Romans 9:1-5 during a recent sermon preparation. The Apostle Paul's raw emotion in this passage isn't just historical—it's a timeless challenge for us today. Let me unpack this for you, drawing from Scripture and real-life application, in hopes that it stirs your heart as it has mine. The Weight of Paul's Anguish Paul opens Romans 9 with a gut-wrenching confession: "I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh" (Romans 9:1-3, ESV). Imagine that—a...