(The following is the June 25 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Romans 9 and pay close attention to verses 1-5.)

Have you ever loved someone so much that you wished you could take their place as they faced challenging circumstances? What parent has not longed for the ability to take their child’s place, if possible, so that the child might not experience pain, hurt, heartache, disease, or worse? We would gladly trade places with those we love, if possible, to spare them an unwanted fate.

This love and compassion for others should also be evident in our concern for their eternal life. It should disturb us when we see others lost in their sin and destined for Hell because of rejecting Christ. When we ponder the lost condition of much of the world’s population, it should move us to act and speak up personally, support mission efforts generously, and pray for lost souls diligently.

Paul felt this compassion for the lost when he considered the spiritual state of his fellow Israelites. He wrote, “I speak the truth in Christ – I am not lying: my conscience testifies to me through the Holy Spirit – that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the benefit of my brothers and sisters, my own flesh and blood” (vv. 1-3). Paul’s love for his fellow Israelites was so deep that, if possible, he would sacrifice his salvation to secure theirs. Of course, he wasn’t suggesting that such a substitution was possible since Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross is the only substitute for sinners.

Still, the point of the text is that Paul loved others so much that he was willing to do anything possible to see them come to Christ. Do we love others with that kind of love?

Next Step:
Think about someone you love who doesn’t know Christ. How much do you care about their eternity? How have you demonstrated compassion and concern for their salvation? What else might you do?