Thursday 4 January 2018

The heart of the apostle Paul for the people of God, and for the lost

From the book of Romans (much more could be added from elsewhere), the heart of the apostle Paul:
  • 1:8-15 – He rejoices and gives thanks to hear of those who believe. He serves God in his inner-most being, for cause of God's Son. He longs to be able to bring strengthening and blessing to the people of God; to encourage them, and be encouraged by them. He is eager to preach the gospel wherever he can.
  • 9:1-3 - He has great sorrow and ceaseless anguish in his heart, because of his unsaved kinsmen. He could even wish, if it were possible, if he could be cut off from Christ, so that they could be saved!
  • 10:1 – The desire of his heart is that his kinsmen should be saved
  • 11:33-36 - He is astonished by, and exclaims in amazement at the wonders of God's glory
  • 14:21 (compare with 1 Cor. 8:13) - He puts his brothers in Christ above his own preferences or tastes
  • 15:23 – he longed, not just as a fleeting whim, but for many years, to come to Rome in order to serve and bless the Roman Christians 
  • 16:19 – He rejoiced to hear about peoples' faithfulness to Christ
 This is the heart of a servant of God. God looks at the heart, and God's whole law for how we deal with our fellow man is that we should love them from the heart. Now, is this my heart? Is it your heart? Can we find any softness or tears at least to mourn before God, if it is not?

No comments: