What are you passionate about?
Passion. It is what makes grown men yell and scream at a TV while decked out in a game-day jersey, matching wrist bands and eye black. Passion. It is what transforms polite southern ladies into raving, fanatic supporters of her favorite college team. Passion. It is what has damaged life long friendships and ended marriages. Manners and etiquette are tossed aside when college football arrives. In fact, the intense emotion we show for our team is displayed 24-7-365, it just seems to be intensified when the season draws near. A simple two word phrase is all it takes to know where our allegiance lies. "Roll Tide", "War Eagle", and "Go Dawgs" are phrases that will be plastered on FB pages, in front yards, and on vehicles. These cries will be heard continuously throughout this area for the rest of 2012. Nothing tops our passion for college football in the south east!
And this is where the problem lies. Where is this passion when it comes to worshiping and praising our Lord and Savior? If we showed half the emotion on Sundays that we display on college game-day, our churches would be rocking with praise for Jesus! Doesn't our Redeemer deserve more? Shouldn't our passion for Christ be infinitely more visible than our passion for anything of this world? Yet, we are willing to go to extreme measures to defend and praise our beloved football team -- but when it comes to worshiping our Creator and Savior our efforts are lukewarm at best.
Jesus tells us in his Word, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16 ESV) Jesus wants ALL of us. He deserves ALL of us. Not just on Sundays and Wednesdays but 24-7-365! We need to give up our passions of this world and focus our desires on Jesus. Luke 9:23 states, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." We must die DAILY to our worldly passions and desires and simply follow Jesus!
So again I ask you, as football season approaches ... What are you passionate about?
GG
Luke 9:23