I have been attending a noon time Bible Study for several years now. The past several months we have been studying the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah can be a very hard book to read. Kind of depressing. As we have gone through this book, however, I have found some things my mind has been drawn to. Throughout this book it is evident the sins of Israel were many and caused much heartache. Sounds kind of familiar doesn't it. Going through this book one thing has struck me most. Jeremiah and God had many discussions. There were times throughout the book where the people were behaving so badly that God said to Jeremiah don't even pray for these people, don't offer up petitions on their behalf and don't plead with me for I won't listen. I can't even imagine such great anger on God's behalf. The thing, though, that struck me even more was that though these people were sinning greatly, some even plotting to kill Jeremiah and even after God told him not to, Jeremiah continued to petition God for these people. His heart was broken for these lost people. Over and over Jeremiah went to the Lord on their behalf.

Today our pastor was preaching from Luke and my eyes fell on a sub title which read, "Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem." As Jesus' enemies were plotting to kill Him he was weeping over them and their sins.

All of these things made me think about myself. When was the last time I wept over those who are lost? How many times have I petitioned God for those in my family, my circle of influence, my friends and my coworkers who are not living in a right relationship with Him. How long since I wept over those in my Sunday school class and church that I know need a restored relationship with God. Some of those are far from God. I prayed today that God would break my heart for those who are lost and far from Him.

I watched a clip that was on another blog, I believe it was on YouTube, about a man who was an atheist and he asked the question, How much do you have to hate someone not to tell someone about God and warn them about Hell? Not an exact quote, but the essence of the quote. Wow, what a question. It should definitely make us search our hearts.

I want to love people enough that I am truly concerned about their souls. Concerned enough to weep for them. Concerned enough to petition God over and over on their behalf. Concerned enough to tell them that yes there is a Heaven and Hell, yes there is consquences for our sins, yes there is a lot of bad in this world, but yes there is a God who loved them enough to send His one and only son to die on the cross for them. Concerned enough to help them find the way to a true relationship with this God who loves them.

I know this is long and maybe not too profound to many, but just wanted to share what God has been speaking to my heart. Lessons, I hope, I am learning. Just maybe someone else needs a little reminder too that we need to have a broken heart for the lost in order to make any kind of impact on them.