ZEAL

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in these days, we, the body of Christ, are in great need of zeal. Many of us have been comfortable and apathetic for too long—and the enemy has pressed his advantage by being devious, sly and persistent. We, on the other hand, have been lulled to sleep—hypnotized by the pretties of this world: beautiful clothes, beautiful homes, and (in the West) plentiful food. We have repented around the edges and let the substance slide.

We have been using our heavenly Father like an indulgent parent that will give us anything we want because He loves us and delights in giving us the desires of our heart—and we have many, many desires. Dear ones, we are meant to grow up and seek Him for Himself alone. We are meant to turn from our own titillations to delight in giving Him the desires of His heart.

The Lord has given us jobs down here. We are not to set up lawn chairs and watch the parade pass by as we wave little flags and shout “yeah, Jesus.”

Are we so apathetic that we do not want to see Him rip open the heavens and step down—splitting the forests as He manifests among us? Are we so desensitized by the constant drone of evil from all over the world that we are slowly being cooked like a frog in heated water? Dear God, are we the ones for whom Christ died so that we might be His witnesses here on earth? Or are we still gumming Pablum—and so hungry to be liked by everyone that while our brothers and sisters are being beheaded, limply we refuse to take a stand for Christ?

Oh God, help us to cry out to You for a zeal that sets us aflame and burns away the compromise of petty niceties, for the pure, burning truth of Christ.

How say we now as we come to the end of this age? For my part, I have been hoping that the Holy Spirit would stir—and then stir again– zeal within me. I want to break through to a higher level of passion for Christ. I want to be more focused—with a forehead of flint. I want to run to my own personal lintel field and be counted worthy to take a stand for Christ.

The Holy Spirit is bestirring Himself and we need to ask our Lord for a love and zeal that consumes us—even as it did our Lord.