Today’s church is crying out for men and women who are burdened about something. We are in desperate need of people who have a single passion and will be dedicated to pursue their passion with all of their being. The eyes of the Lord are roaming the earth; they are searching for those who are resolved to stand in the gap behalf of the nations. The world needs men and women who are burdened for God and His glory. I fear that one will have more success finding an oasis in the desert than finding people with a real burden. I fear that most Universities and Seminaries are more concerned about producing students who have conformed to a system than are passionately burdened about God’s work, lost people and God’s glory. I fear we invest more in programs than we are investing in people. I fear we are more burdened about updating Facebook and our twitter feeds than in actually making the world a better place. What our homes, churches and countries need are burdened people: burdened for what God and his glory.
What does the bible say about the need for burdened people? There is in my mind, no better place to begin than the amazing account in Ezekiel 9. It says at least one thing – God takes the absence of a burden among his people seriously. It was this burden that made Nehemiah do great exploits for God (Nehemiah 1:4). The oracles of the prophets are referred to as burdens (Isaiah 13:1, 14:28, 15:1, 17:1, 19:1, 21:1, etc., Nahum 1:1, Habakkuk 1:1, Malachi 1:1). We also see this in Paul’s burden in Athens (Acts 17:16-17) and Jesus’ example also in Matthew 9:36 were His burden for the people moved him with compassion.
Why is it that some people lack the burden and others have lost it? The first reason people are not burdened is a lack of an eternal view. They are only consumed by the affairs of the world and all their energies are directed at amassing wealth, being entertained and getting more educated that they soon lose sight of the majesty of God and forget the reason for their existence. In other words they are living as though the things of this world are all that matter in life. The second is a sinful life. When you are living in sin you lack the desire to do the work of God and the enablement to carry it out. And all you do is go through the motions like a lifeless corpse. The third is when people are detached from the work of the ministry. Whenever someone is not exposed to the needs, frustrations and blessings of the ministry, they lack the burden. When all you have are theories in your head of what should be done, and lack the exposure of what actually on the ground, you will lack the burden that comes with such exposure.
“Men of the time, who discern the signs of the time, the possibilities of the time, the potentials of the time, as well as the seasons, movements, and dangers of the time become God’s prophets to His people and the world. Instead of being cast into the mould of history they make history. Instead of being frustrated by the storms of the times they ride the crest of the waves triumphantly for God and His cause. Thus the question is whether we are tradition bound or anchored fearlessly in such a time as this. Men of the time are urgently needed. While others may survive, these will triumph and lead the cause of Christ in the triumphs of our Lord”[1].
[1] Mbewe, Conrad. Church based ministries and missions. Seminar address. 2012
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