Chapter 9: Zeal
Everyone wants to be fit. Everyone wants the six-pack, the bigger muscles, and the stronger body. But not everyone wants to work out. Everyone wants the results, but not everyone wants to do the crunches.
I think sometimes we do the same thing with our faith. We want the joy, the peace, the purpose, the confidence, the excitement, and the closeness with God, but we don’t always want to do the things that cultivate those things. Prayer. Worship. Reading Scripture. Obedience.
Paul writes in Titus 2:11-14: “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
The definition of zeal is a strong feeling of interest and enthusiasm for something. We see this kind of zeal in Jesus when He cleansed the temple. He flipped over the tables of the money changers and drove out those who were buying and selling, because they had turned His Father’s house into something it was never meant to be. John 2:17 says, “Zeal for your house will consume me.” Jesus wasn’t indifferent and casual toward the things of God. He was passionate and excited about them.
In The Titus Ten, the author writes, “A head full of knowledge, a heart full of passion, and a life full of action, that is godly zeal. And that is what God has saved you for. Nothing less.”
Jesus calls us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength. (Matthew 22:37) But honestly, sometimes it can be hard to have passion for worship, prayer, and reading the Bible. I can do those things as a religious duty, but that can miss the point. Jesus doesn’t just want my actions; He wants me to be passionate and excited about Him.
I’ve also learned that sometimes you have to do it before you feel it. I experience this with working out all the time. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is get up and go to the gym. But I know that once I take the step, put on my shoes and my headband, and physically get there, the passion and excitement usually come afterward. I start seeing myself grow, get stronger, and improve, and that creates more zeal.
Romans 12:11 says, “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.” Sometimes you have to take the first step. Open the Bible. Pray. Worship. Surround yourself with others who are zealous about God. Like a fire, you have to actively fan the flame to fuel your passion and zeal for God. The more time you spend with God, the more you begin to know Him, and the more you know Him, the more you want Him.
The Bigger Picture: Zeal is choosing to fan the flame, trusting that passion will follow.
The Bigger Picture 