Day 17: Passionate Church

Daily Devotional

Luke 24:27-32

27 “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

Passion is like oil igniting fire: explosive and naturally occurring within us for someone or something. The greater the conviction or love, the more intense our passion. Therefore, passion should naturally burn within us towards God. If he is indeed the greatest and most beautiful being in this universe, our passion for Him should be an unending fire that consumes every speck of indifference and callousness.

But we must admit that this is often not the case. Like the two men who walked defeatedly, our fire often dwindles to nothing. What can possibly cure us? What will reignite our fire for God and set our hearts ablaze again? God’s Word. Just as Jesus raised the dead by speaking, He can raise our hearts from apathy to a life of passion.

Therefore, we need to constantly read his Word. And whenever we turn to the Bible, we must remember that God is speaking to us. So let His Word touch you. And let it add fuel to your flame. And with our hearts burning within us, let us live for God all the more.

Weekly Application

Being part of a passionate church is to have a burning desire to live for Christ and to seek His kingdom first. You can do this by taking intentional steps to prioritize your relationship with Jesus. God desires to kindle your heart and renew your mind so begin each day by asking God to give you a hunger for His Word and a zeal for prayer. As you go through the day, keep your eyes fixed on Christ by being intentional about everything that you do. There may be areas of your life that need to be repurposed to reflect the love and glory of our Lord Jesus. Walking with God in this way will prevent you from becoming lukewarm in your devotion and it will cultivate a passion for Christ that will transform your heart and mind.