Stirring Up Your PASSION!

What or whom do you think of when you hear the word “PASSION?”  Those of you who know me and/or have been reading this post for any amount of time, would immediately know that without a moment’s hesitation, that I would say my beloved wife Piper.  Throughout our 48 years together we had a very PASSIONATE relationship.  But it wasn’t a PASSION based strictly on feelings or the energy of the moment, but developed through a lifetime effort of love, respect, honor and giving one to another, as we sought to serve the Lord in and through our lives.

Ours was a PASSION that was founded on the love of God and His Word.  Paul summed it up in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 when he wrote,

“For it is Christ’s love that fuels our PASSION and motivates us, because we are absolutely convinced that He has given His life for all of us. This means all died with Him, so that those who live should no longer live self-absorbed lives but lives that are poured out for Him—the One who died for us and now lives again.” (TPT)

When I think back of my memories of Piper, I see that she was very PASSIONATE in just about everything she did.  Even before we started dating in high school, I was always impressed of how enthusiastically she would get behind a plan that a group of us friends had come up with for a Saturday trip to the coast, or an after-school softball game at Howarth Park near her family’s home.  She was always in for an adventure!

Later on in life, during a period when finances were tight, she could make a trip to a local fast-food restaurant seem to be the most wonderful and luxurious event of a lifetime!  She was PASSIONATE about our family, homeschooling, ministering to the youth or children at church, playing the piano, daily exercise, walks around the block, shopping at Food 4 Less or the totally out of the blue times when she would suddenly turn to me, look deeply into my eyes and say, “I love you!”  Like she did a few months before she passed in 2018.

She vividly and unmistakably lived her entire life with a PASSION for Christ and as an encourager to anyone around her.  I think that the Apostle Paul must have had her in mind when her wrote “… but my supreme PASSION is to please God” (Galatians 1:10 TPT) and in Ephesians 3:9, declaring that “my PASSION is to enlighten every person to this divine mystery (of the gospel of Jesus Christ).”

I think about her and her PASSION for life whenever I pray and consider my current place in life and the plans and purposes that the Lord still has for me.  I think once again, about Paul’s words of encouragement to the church in Rome and still prevalent to us today where he wrote,

“Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord, keeping your PASSION toward Him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let Him fill you with excitement as you serve Him.” (Romans 12:11 TPT)

I like the excitement behind Paul’s words!  I like the PASSION that it stirs up in me!  That’s probably why I enjoyed working so much with the youth and children in the church.  Many times… it is a lot easier to stir up excitement and PASSION in the younger crowd than it is in us adults!

What about you?  What do you think and FEEL when it comes to the PASSION you have in your life… and in your relationship with God?  Is it RED HOT and RADIATING off of you?  If so… how much HOTTER can you make it?

And if not… Why not? And how can you reverse your current course in life?

Hummmmm… lots to think about on this weekend… but there are lots of rewards connected to the stirring up of your PASSION for life and for God… and lots of fun in doing it!

Have a great weekend… and as you do… keep EXPECTING and PARTICIPATING in God’s best for you!