Passion

Lent Day 4: Today I Battle for Passionate Follow

Jesus, you know I don’t really like Lent. It has always felt like a weight on my shoulders or a bitterness in my stomach. I hope these battle prayers help me remember there is purpose to the abstaining and sacrifices. Today I ask for passion and zeal in following you.

Joel 2: 17 – Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord! Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery. Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say, ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’ “

Father God, you are passionate about your people. We are your special possession, your chosen ones, loved by you. What a privilege to be yours and to know this during this life. Thank you!

I just listened to a pastor from Romania proclaim that the reason Caleb was able to enter the promised land was because he “has a different spirit and follows [God] wholeheartedly.” (Numbers 14:24) The pastor then went on to say that from experience he knows that it is hard to recognize the presence of God when our follow of God is half-hearted…or not all in.

I know this passionate, whole-hearted follow is what you want, Lord, not just from me, but from all your people. And it’s because you love us! Man, when I feel like my kids love me half-heartedly, it really hurts. I can’t imagine how you feel, our Creator and Father, who sees us and knows us and loves every part of us.

Show us the way, Lord. Send your Spirit of passion and love, Lord. I beg you that we who are known as Christians, your people, would live and worship with passion and zeal, our whole hearts for you. I pray this for all your children, and especially today for my family, friends, and church. May we love you with our whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, to the point that people recognize that something is different about us in an attractive way…”God is with them”.

Thank you Lord. I love you Lord. May our lives be for your plans. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.