Passion!

     Where is your passion? Some people are passionate about sports, some about art, some about hunting, fishing, shopping, family, books, movies, food! 
     The things we can become passionate about are as diverse as we as humans are. I've read to follow your passion for your job or work focus and then you are happy in your occupation! That does sound like good advice, doesn't it? 
     However, we do have to be careful in following our passions, some passions lead us into areas that people were never meant to allow to run freely. In an example, if we allow our passion for food to have it's way, we end up morbidly obese! Notice the word "morbid", not a good thing!
     So let's look at the word passion, the definition is "strong and barely controllable emotion", or I like this definition too "Passion is when you put more energy into something than is required to do it. It is more than just enthusiasm or excitement, passion is an ambition that is materialized into action to put as much heart, mind, body, and soul into something as is possible."
     There is a passion that we are instructed to follow and to stir up, and God will not leave me alone about this, I keep hearing messages about passion. We are to be passionate in our relationship with Him. He doesn't want a lukewarm relationship, He wants our passion! 
     In scripture, it is always the passionate person that is pleasing to Him. Daniel, Samuel, David, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene(....is that a music group? There was a music group with that name, but that is not who these people are!) and those are just the first few that come to mind, each of these people were passionate in the pursuit of God and each are well known through scripture.
     God's word tells us "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." in Matthew 22:37, that sounds like passion, doesn't it, and it even tells us where to direct that passion, to Him! We can also read "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." in 2 Timothy 1:6-7. This tells us to stir ourselves up! Stir up our love, spirit, and passion! 
     I know there are some that think to follow Jesus is not really about "passion" and that you can do it reasonably, without making a big deal out of it, or making any big changes in your life, just be a nice person and do good things....but I caution you to think on the verse that tells you that God wants you all in.....not part way...."So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:16
     So now, as it said in 2 Timothy, I encourage you to "kindle" or as it says in another version, "Fan the flame"! Be passionate in your pursuit of God, He wants your passion, not your lethargy, He doesn't want you in the middle of the spectrum! He wants you all in! Quit holding back! Jump in with both feet! "Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance"!, let us "run with endurance" and with passion the race that God has set before us!
     

Dancing and Leaping

     There is something that happens every Sunday, in church after church and I am amazed and encouraged to see it. People come to church for different reasons, for some, it is to honor God, some come to seek God, some out of habit and some out of curiosity. 

     The people that I love seeing there are those who have a genuine understanding of Jesus as their Lord and Master and those who have learnt that our Heavenly Father is a Father of love and revel in Him!

     These people are usually easy to spot, there is joy in their countenance, there is love in their eyes. I love how God's Spirit pulls them to the front during worship. They are not able to stay at their seats and quietly sing a little verse or two, they want to sing and leap before the Lord, even as David did! 

     The joy of the true believer cannot be contained, and they no longer fear man more than God. 

     If you are not yet to that level, push in! You can attain that joy in the Lord...but you have to want it! You have to pursue Him, meditate on Him and His attributes. Read Psalms, read scripture, learn God's nature, His love and what He has done and is doing for you! 

     Soon you will be dancing! Your spirit will be leaping!