“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel to them.” Acts 16:9,10.

Among professing Christians of today there is a fearful lack of sympathy that should be felt for souls unsaved. Unless our hearts beat in unison with the heart of Christ, how can we understand the sacredness and importance of the work to which we are called by the words: “Watch for … souls, as they that must give account”? We talk of Christian missions. The sound of our voices is heard, but do we feel Christ’s tender heart-longing for souls?

From all countries the Macedonian cry is sounding: “Come over…and help us.” God has opened fields before us, and if human agencies would but co-operate with divine agencies, many, many souls would be won to the truth. But the Lord’s professing people have been sleeping over their allotted work, and in many places it remains comparatively untouched. God has sent message after message to arouse our people to do something, and to do it now. But to the call, “Whom shall I send?” there have been few to respond, “Here am I; send me.” Isaiah 6:8.

When the reproach of indolence and slothfulness shall have been wiped away from the church, the Spirit of the Lord will be graciously manifested.

Heavenly angels have long been waiting for human agents—the members of the church—to co-operate with them in the great work to be done. They are waiting for you. So vast is the field, so comprehensive the design, that every sanctified heart will be pressed into service as an instrument of divine power. –Testimony Treasures, vol. 3, pp. 307, 308.

Questions to think about:

Did I receive the call “Whom shall I send?” personally and what was my true answer?

When will the Spirit of the Lord be graciously manifested in us? What needs to be uprooted from us and from the church?

With whom do we need to cooperate and how can we do it? What does it mean to have a sanctified heart?