Burdened

Saturday was such an amazing night at church. Conviction...don't we all love it?Being burdened for the lost is just something that I think is a little big for my mind to grasp...because there are SO MANY.

I remember at Hope Group last year Mark Henry asking us what we would do if he called and said Dawn was lost...well of course we all said we would drop EVERYTHING and look for her...class, work, trips, test, etc...finding her was more important. Then he asked, why we didn't feel that sense of urgency with the lost people of the world. I don't have an answer to that...because we don't know them? because we don't care? because we find it hopeless? I don't know, but there's no excuse not to be broken over people's eternal life.

Everyday I come into contact with people and never even feel burdened for them, I might even be making the concious effort to be showing them the love of God, but I don't usually pray for them, I don't usually invite them to church, or share my beliefs. I think a huge part of the problem is living in America, physically and politcally it is probably the best place to live, but hearing stories about Christians in other countries...there's just no comparison. We don't have to fight for our lives or our rights to worship. It is so easy for us to be self-sufficient. We want to fit in, we don't want to be radical.

I'm so thankful to be at a church that is radical and just amazing. As if the sermon wasn't enough God slapped me across the face Saturday night. The lost are so close to us...they are everywhere. Saturday night was the probably the first time I've ever felt burdened and hurt and scared for a particualar lost person. I don't know who the lady was or where she came from, but God led her to our church and it was amazing to watch the women of our church comfort the lost. I pray for her and for our church that we continue to reach out to the lost outside of church, in our daily lives, with our classmates and coworkers and the guy who makes our coffee. I want to be broken for people, I want to get out of my comfort zone. Church is not about me, it's about glorifying God and he wants to send one of his children in to get some love, I have to be ok with that and not feel like my time with God is being taken away from.