JULY 17, 2015
Tears of a Teen
Read:
Romans
9:1-5
I
have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. — Romans 9:2
As I sat with four teenagers and a 20-something homeless man at
a soup kitchen in Alaska, I was touched by the teens’ compassion for him. They
listened as he talked about what he believed and then they gently presented the
gospel to him—lovingly offering him hope in Jesus. Sadly, the man refused to
seriously consider the gospel.
As we were leaving, one of the girls, Grace, expressed through
her tears how much she didn’t want the man to die without knowing Jesus. From
the heart, she grieved for this young man who, at least at this point, was
rejecting the love of the Savior.
The tears of this teen remind me of the apostle Paul who served
the Lord humbly and had great sorrow in his heart for his countrymen, desiring
that they trust in Christ (Rom. 9:1-5). Paul’s compassion and concern must have
brought him to tears on many occasions.
If we care enough for others who have not yet accepted God’s
gift of forgiveness through Christ, we will find ways to share with them. With
the confidence of our own faith and with tears of compassion, let’s take the
good news to those who need to know the Savior.
Is there someone you need to talk to about Jesus today?
Sharing the gospel is one person telling
another good news.
INSIGHT:
The book of Romans is unique in Paul’s New
Testament writings. While the rest of his letters are to those with whom he had
an existing relationship (either individuals or churches), Romans is written to
a group of people that Paul has not yet met. This may explain some of the deep
theological themes that he covers. Although Paul was hoping to visit the
Christians in Rome in person, one of the reasons he wrote this letter was to
ensure they had a solid foundation of belief.
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015