We are all passionate about something. Even the most laid-back, quiet, even-tempered person gets excited about something. If you don’t believe me, watch them for a week or so, and you will find out what pushes their buttons. It may be sports, music, certain people, food, or a hobby, but we all have an area that we are passionate about. Usually, we have more than one thing.
I have many things I am passionate about. I love Alabama baseball, basketball, and football, and I love the Atlanta Braves. I can yell with the best of them. I love music and could immerse myself in it all day. I love cooking and serving others. It’s like therapy for me. However, nothing compares to my greatest passion. My greatest passion is my love for God. I want my efforts and love for Him to result in others seeing Jesus and giving their lives to Him. There is no greater feeling than seeing someone surrender to Him and Jesus changing their lives. This was an obvious passion of Paul’s. Over and over in scripture, we see him going the extra mile to spread the good news of Jesus as Savior and Master. His passion was to know Christ so fully that Christ was the very essence of his existence.
Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Things meant nothing to Paul. The things of this world were only valuable to him as a tool to do more to promote Christ. It was a joy for him to think of what he had given up for the cause of Christ. Paul was a very educated man, a Roman citizen, and a Jew. He had prestige as a Jewish leader, yet, that was not a reason for his passion. He counted them as worthless dung. His sole desire was to know Christ as completely as any human could.
Philippians 3:8-10 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
His desire and passions were real. Paul suffered for Christ. He was imprisoned, beaten, stoned, left for dead, and shipwrecked. He had been in danger of losing his life at sea. Many of the countries he traveled to were infested with robbers just waiting for an opportunity to rob him. His own countrymen, the Jews, laid in wait for him, ready to put him to death. If we were in his shoes, we would probably live in fear, but he didn’t because his faith was so strong; he trusted God to take care of him until God was ready for him to exit this world. What he would die for was what he lived for.
II Corinthians 11:24-31 “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.”
Where is your passion? If you say Christ, then the time and effort you exert should be more for him than anything else. Do you get as excited about going to church as you do going shopping or to a game? Do you sit and think about Jesus and what more you can do for Him, or do you feel like you are at church too much and wonder what activities or services you can give up? We all need to ask ourselves these questions to find out what fuels our fire. You may need an attitude change or a time of repentance for your lack of love for the one who loves you most.
If your passion for Christ is not at the center stage, start praying and studying. The more you know him, the more you love him, and then your passion will increase. If the things that consume your thoughts and time are not things that please Jesus, then your passion for Him is not your greatest passion.
Excellent