Most of us are passionate about something. Some of us are very passionate about various things.
What are you passionate about? Is it music? Your family? Your job? Your home? Sports? A particulare hobby or event?
Do we have a passion for the things of God? For His Word? For prayer? For worship? To spread His fame? To know Him more?
Often, I must confess I have shown passion for foolish things and ashamedly little passion for what I should be passionate about, namely knowing Who God is and proclaiming the great news of Christ.
The psalmist writes in chapter 42:
As a deer pants for the water brook for streams of water,
so my soul thirsts for you, O God!
I thirst for God,
for the living God.I say,“When will I be able to go and appear in God’s
presence?”
Do you and I have this kind of longing for the Lord? Do we thirst for Him? Do we find our satisfaction in Him? As a church, our desire is to spread a passion for God and for people to recognize the supremacy of God in all things and our utter dependency upon Him. When we do that, it brings God the glory and fame.
John Piper writes that “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
May God grant us the desire and the passion to know and to spread His Truth.
Missed seeing you guys today. I’ve read the everyone’s recent blogs and thought that I’d let you know that I’d like for you to pray that I would have a greater passion for His Word. I used to read it a lot more than I do now and memorize a lot more than I do now.
I praise God for the women’s Bible study, because God used that to keep me in the Word. I get so busy with school that it helps to have a group bible study. Since summer is here, please pray that I get into the Word as much as I can before school starts back up again.
Also, please pray that I would join Him wherever He is working. I don’t think that I am allowing Him to bring me out of my comfort zone as much.
Thanks for having passion for our God. You and Angela are a big blessing!
Hey Kevin,
I’m at a Physics seminar this week and was thanking God for this series of seminars that I get to go to when it occurred to me what my God-given passion is… I love to learn. I love to discover truth as God reveals more about Who He is and more about His creation.
Perhaps that is why I enjoy reading Proverbs. The two parallel passages that have me desiring to really know His word and commit it to memory are:
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for attaining wisdom and discipline; for understanding words of insight; for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance – for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and disciple. Proverbs 1 :1 – 7
My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear towards wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:1 – 6
I appreciate the ministry of the Holy Spirit Who explains to believers things written in scriptures, because discovering truth in scripture prepares me for eternity. As a teacher, I love to pass on truth so that others may know and benefit, too. Being called to teach science allows me to teach students to search for truth in Creation not just for the sake of knowledge, but ultimately to honor and praise our Creator Who put all the laws into place and sustains all things for His glory.
What is your God-given passion?
Rose, thank you for such encouraging words. In order to know how to apply truth (and in fact to know truth, it is absolutely vital in our lives as believers that we study God’s Word. Unfortunately today many churches are full of people who are Biblically-illiterate and have no clear understanding of the state of man absent Christ (dead) nor the plan and power of redemption (namely faith in Christ’s atonement by His grace).
Our challenge and our passion should be to see God change people’s lives through the power of His Son. Indeed, our very mission is to spread His fame-we do that by teaching His Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to convict, to regenerate, and to sanctify.