What was the driving force that moved Paul to preach in spite of all he suffered in that undertaking? No doubt he wanted to please his Lord. He wrote, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts” (1 Thessalonians 2:4). He told Timothy “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4).

And yet, there was another intense yearning that spurred him on. To the Romans he wrote, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Romans 10:1). Barnes says the phrase “my heart’s desire” means “my earnest and sincere wish.” Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown says “The word here expresses ‘entire complacency,’ that in which the heart would experience full satisfaction.” In other words, the only thing that could completely satisfy Paul would be for those he knew and loved to be saved. Through beatings, imprisonments, and even shipwrecks he pressed on for that cause. He had a deep passion for the lost.

This same concern is shown by Paul for Christians who also had strayed and endangered their souls. To the Philippians he wrote, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things (Philippians 3:18–19). Unlike some who seem to almost gloat when a brother goes astray, Paul was moved to tears over their impending doom. Oh how we need to learn to imitate him in this godly attitude (cf. Philippians 3:17).

But back to Paul’s heartfelt desire mentioned in Romans 10:1. The best I can tell, the only other time this expression is used in the New Testament is found in another of Paul’s writings. He wrote, “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel” (Philippians 1:15–17). Paul says some preach Christ of “good will.” Contextually, some preached Christ at the expense of Paul. Others preached Christ out of their deep concern for Paul, and like him, for the souls of those who would otherwise be lost eternally.

May we learn to have the same deep passion for the lost as our fellow preacher Paul. He loved his Lord and wanted to please Him. And like his Lord (cf. John 3:16; Galatians 2:20), he loved the souls of men and desired that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4)!