Theme: 2011 - A Year of Maximum Impact
Weekend Music links on iTunes: Time Has Come - Hillsong, Happy Day - Jesus Culture, 'Til I See You - Hillsong, How He Loves - David Crowder
Read: Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Think: Have you ever known someone who was truly passionate about something? I remember meeting a friend of a friend years ago at a BBQ. I don’t remember much about this person, not even his name. But I remember the way he talked about sending supplies to an orphanage in Africa. It started small, just one person sending an occasional package. Over the course of a few years, it had become a real passion for him. His zeal attracted friends and family, and together they were sending a full shipping container twice a year. His enthusiasm was contagious, and was benefitting many other people.
Pastor Ben defined a big goal for us in 2011 – a heart of passion for God and compassion for others. What does it mean to have a heart of passion for God? Clearly, it starts with loving God. The scripture passage for today is referred to as The Shema, and is a cornerstone prayer of Judaism. When asked the most important commandment, ‘Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”’ (Matthew 22:37).
The love described here is not merely a favorable disposition or kind thoughts. Both in the Old and New Testaments, the invitation is to love God in an intense, all-consuming way. This intensity is the essence of passion. When we become passionate about something, it ignites us. We are excited to spend time with our passion, we want to learn more about its object, and we enjoy each minute we spend pursuing it. As we indulge in our passion, we draw others to it, as well.
This is the heart of passion for God we each need to seek, a passion that gives purpose and pleasure to life and points others to its source.
Do: In Deuteronomy 6:9, the Israelites were instructed to write these words on their doorposts and on their gates. Let’s start small. On a Post-It or a slip of paper, write “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Place it somewhere you’ll see, as a reminder of the greatest commandment.
Pray: God, you know that I want to love you more, and love you better. I pray that you will take to the flame of love I have for you and ignite in me a burning passion to know you more, and serve you more. Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.