KEY SCRIPTURE: Mark 4:18-19 

And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

RELEVANCE

David Livingstone, pioneer protestant Christian missionary to Africa and explorer, said, "God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart, except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.”

This glorious quote rivals the profound passion of the most earnest of love letters. It defies our key scripture. Could you or I write it? It challenges our very foundation.  

For most of us, Africa or anywhere overseas is not our calling. But we are called to demonstrate the same passion as Livingstone where we are right now, into the people whom we can pour our love without packing bags and obtaining passports. 

Passion burns within for the unsaved, the sick and maimed, the not-so-fortunate, and the lost. We can all help someone reach higher for something. But the main thing is that they obtain Salvation. This is part of the fruit for which we are pruned so heavily by God, our vine-dresser. 

When our hearts burn, desire emanates long before the brain begins to think about it. This is because we are born for good works. (Ephesians 2:10) When we are Born Again, our hearts should have an inbuilt desire to help, just as Jesus' heart did. He said He came to seek and save the lost. We follow that calling.    

We don't have time to let thorns grow and choke the Word and godly desires within. We only have time to pursue what the Lord pursues.

Livingstone said Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. When we, the branches, remain attached to the vine, we are sustained better than anything alive because we are umbilically bound to Jesus Christ Himself.

Salvation binds our hearts to Jesus through love; therefore, we simply cannot be unfruitful.   

Stay close to Jesus. 

PRAYER

Precious Father, please turn my heart to face thy presence so it burns with a love so fierce and bright that all else but thy beauty is consumed. 

Photo by Andrew Stutesman