Colossians 3:23-24 reminds us, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”

This verse encapsulates the heart of our ministry and service to Christ. Our work is not simply to fill programs or participate in church activities, but to engage in something with eternal significance. Everything we do for Jesus Christ will last, while the things of this world will fade. This eternal perspective drives us to carry a burden for lost souls, motivating every action we take in ministry.

What a profound privilege it is to be about Jesus’ business, knowing that our efforts in ministry have far-reaching effects. We are called to be more than just a church; we are called to be a lighthouse of salvation in this world.

As the body of Christ, we exist to spread the gospel and lead others into a saving relationship with Jesus. The commission Jesus gave to His disciples in Acts 1:8—to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth—establishes a pattern for evangelism that we too are called to follow.

Start Where You Are: Our Immediate Mission Field

For the disciples, Jerusalem was their immediate context—their neighborhood, their city. In the same way, we are called to begin with those nearest to us: our families, friends, colleagues, and neighbors. These people desperately need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our local communities are our Jerusalem, and God has placed us here for a reason. We may look at the world and think that revival requires many ingredients—talents, resources, strategies—but the truth is, only one is essential: a burden.

A burden for lost souls is the key to revival. This burden compels us to action, regardless of what we may lack in resources or talent. When our hearts are broken for those who do not yet know Christ, we find a way to express that burden, to reach out, to pray, and to share the hope of salvation. This is the heartbeat of effective ministry—everything else falls into place when we carry the burden that Jesus Himself carried for the lost.

The Burden in Ezekiel: Sighing and Crying for the Lost

Ezekiel 9:4 provides a powerful illustration of this kind of burden. In this passage, God commands a man with an inkhorn to mark those who "sigh and cry" over the sins and abominations in Jerusalem. These individuals were deeply grieved by the spiritual state of their city, and their sorrow led them to intercede on its behalf. They were marked for protection from the coming judgment because they shared God's heart for righteousness and justice.

This passage paints a vivid picture of the kind of burden we need today. Like those who were marked in Ezekiel’s time, we too must be broken-hearted over the sin and lostness that surround us. Our world is full of people who are separated from God, and our call as believers is to stand in the gap, praying and sharing the gospel in order to save souls from spiritual death. This burden must drive us to compassion and action.

God’s Signature on the Broken

In Ezekiel 9:4, the Hebrew word "tav," translated as "mark," means "signature." God places His signature on those who sigh and cry for a lost and dying world. He marks those who have a burden for souls, setting them apart as His own. How incredible to think that God’s signature is upon those whose hearts are aligned with His!

We should long for God to place His signature on us as well. This burden for the lost should be our passion and motivation in all that we do. Just as Nehemiah wept over Jerusalem and Jesus Himself wept for the city, we too must be broken for the lost around us.

Brokenness for Revival

A burden has a way of breaking us. It crushes us, making us sensitive to the desperate spiritual condition of those without Christ. While brokenness might seem like a negative thing, in God’s kingdom it is often the pathway to power and effectiveness. Many things are useless until they are broken—this is true for us as well. When we allow God to break us for the sake of the lost, He can use us in ways we never imagined.

Our cry should be, “Lord, I am Yours. I am willing to be broken in order to be used by You in this ever-darkening world.” This is the heart of a burden for lost souls. It is not about our own strength, resources, or abilities. It is about being so deeply moved by the need for salvation in the world that we are willing to be vessels for God’s work, no matter the cost.

A Call to Action

God has tremendous things in store for His people, but it begins with a burden. As we serve in ministry, let our motivation be clear: we are not simply serving people or institutions, we are serving Jesus Christ and we are about His great commission. And as we do, let our hearts burn with a burden for lost souls, knowing that what we do for Jesus will last for eternity. Let this burden shape everything we do, from our prayers to our outreach, as we seek to bring revival to our neighborhoods, our cities, and beyond.