Break my heart for what breaks Yours, and Luke 13

So, as usual, it's music that speaks to my soul. I truly believe that God uses music sometimes to make words more powerful to me, probably because of my love for music...

But not too long ago, as I was singing "Hosanna," the words "Break my heart for what breaks yours" rang out in my heart in a way that absolutely shocked me. I didn't realize, however, how much it would hurt when God started to do just that. He brought friends into my life who have no idea who God really is, and how deeply He loves them. Friends with very different views of what it means to belong to Christ and be truly a child of God. But that doesn't change the fact that I love those friends. And the more I started to think about it, the more it truly broke my heart to know that there are people, many people, really, who don't know the beauty of salvation through Christ. And I could just imagine Jesus looking at these people whom He loves more than I ever could and saying as he did in Luke, looking at Jerusalem, "How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!" Because our God is a God who gives people free will. He won't force himself on people. But He loves them so much, and His heart is broken when they don't choose Him, because He knows that He is the best they can have.

I have this book called "The Valley of Vision," a book of Puritan prayers... and while the Puritans aren't always known for being fun or exciting, they are known for close fellowship with God and for being very in touch with his heart... And this particular prayer truly echos the cry of my heart.

God's Cause
Sovereign God,
Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom
to set up thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns;
Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice,for to bring honour to thy name is my sole desire.
I adore thee that thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it,and rejoice in it.
O that all men might love and praise thee,
that thou mightest have all glory from the intelligent world!
Let sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name!
To the eye of reason everything respecting the conversion of others is as dark as midnight,
But thou canst accomplish great things;the cause is thine,
and it is to thy glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as thou wilt,do with me what thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let thy kingdom come,
let thy blessed interest be advanced in this world!
O do thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labour for thee
to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness.
It is thy cause and kingdom I long for, not my own.
O, answer thou my request!