Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

Family is an important part of every person’s life. Brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, grandparents, grandchildren, children, spouses … they all drive much of our lives. Many people live near their families and enjoy this sweet fellowship. I do and have. But there is a calling that rises above one’s time with family and it is God’s call on our lives. Paul had a spiritual family in Rome, among his fellow Jewish believers. They missed each other. But he was called to travel far and wide to spread the gospel. He was called to cut spiritual ground among the lost and in the dark places of this earth. And he went for it. He was all in. He built spiritual family with new believers all over. Yet he longed for his old spiritual family. He wanted to be with them, too. However, his mission in Christ overrode this desire and compelled him to serve as an evangelist to the Gentiles. What had weight in his heart was to seek and save the lost. This makes sense as he will be with his old Christian brothers and sisters for eternity.

I find what Paul is describing is what God wants for me and for you: A compelling passion for the lost that would leave the comforts of home and family to save some.

Lord Jesus, may it be what you continue to work in me. May my passion for saving the lost expand and my risk-taking in this mission know no bounds!