Daily devotion – Passion or indifference?
The Fire That Drives Us
Last Wednesday night at our Church prayer gathering, something powerful happened. We came together—young and old, strong and frail—to lift up the sick among us, and to cry out with desperation for our nation, Australia. We pleaded with the Lord to move mightily through His Churches across this land. We prayed that they would stand firm and that the freedom to preach the Gospel and worship Jesus would continue in this blessed country.
Passion is a familiar sight in our world today. People are unashamedly passionate about their football teams. Parents passionately cheer on their children’s sporting triumphs. No one ever questions their zeal.
But where is that same undeniable passion when it comes to serving the Lord?
The Apostle Paul calls us, as do all Christ’s followers in the New Testament, to live with burning passion for the Lord. And we find in the Old Testament, men and women of renown who loved God with all they had: Noah building the ark despite the mockery, Abraham stepping out in obedience, David dancing before the Lord, Daniel praying though it meant the lions’ den, Ruth leaving everything behind, and Deborah leading God’s people with courage.
This is what Australia needs today: people of passion for Christ. People whose fire for the Lord cannot be ignored.
So, here’s the question for each of us: How driven and passionate are we for Jesus, compared to these faithful ones?
Young Jeremiah is a powerful example. Called by God at a tender age, he was sent to preach a message that people didn’t want to hear. It was so hard that he even tried to quit. But listen to his words:
“But His word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.” (Jeremiah 20:9)
The Apostle Paul echoed that same drive when he declared:
“For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)
What fueled such passion in these men and women? Why were they so consumed with serving the Lord?
It was the love of God that had flooded their hearts.
We are reminded of this in the beautiful moment when an unnamed woman knelt at Jesus’ feet, weeping and anointing Him with costly perfume. While the Pharisee Simon judged her, Jesus revealed the deeper truth:
“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” (Luke 7:47)
Here is the heart of the matter: Your passion for the Lord is a reflection of your thankfulness for His forgiveness.
If you’ve been forgiven much—and we all have—then your love, your worship, your service, and your passion should burn bright.
As I reflect, I must say: He has forgiven me much. How about you?
Let’s be a people in this nation whose love for Christ is unmissable, whose passion is unmistakable, and whose thankfulness fuels a fire that cannot be quenched.