Woe is me

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.   For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:15-16

I have to tell you straight up that this has always been one of the most challenging passages of scripture for me as a preacher. Paul was totally impassioned about his call to preach. It was his life. It obsessed him. It controlled him. I was all that he could think about. Before the Damascus Road he had a mad passion to kill Christians. Maybe that is why he had such a passion now to see people saved.

Paul never glorified in being a preacher. That is one thing that sticks out.He never said ‘look at me’ and tried to draw attention to himself. He humbly proclaimed that it was only the grace of God that allowed him to preach the gospel.

Though I preach the gospel it is nothing too glory about it because it was only what I need to do.

Paul was preaching. It was his life. It was all of Him. Nothing else distracted him.

‘Woe is me if I don’t preach this gospel.’

I wish that was me. I know I should be more faithful about talking about Jesus. I know I should do it more. I know it should be me.

But sadly I don’t feel the same ‘woe is me’ that Paul did. It might bother me that I don’t preach more, but it is not my compulsion when I get up in the morning.

God help me – give me that spirit about the gospel.