Day 22: Passionate Church

Daily Devotional

Deuteronomy 6:5-7

5 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

The Israelites often included this passage in the beginning of their prayers as a confession of their faith. To us, it is a reminder that our love for God should not be limited to “church”, but should be a love that permeates every area of our lives. Think about the last time you were passionate about something. Wasn’t it natural for that passion or interest to spread to other areas of your life? When we are fixated on something, we draw the attention of others to it and even plan our lives around it. In the same way, when we are passionate about God and His kingdom, it becomes evident in the way we live our lives. Our words begin to center around God, our actions highlight Christ, and our attitude attracts others to experience it for themselves. Looking back at this week, we have been challenged to be intentional about our desire for God. Let us continue to be purposeful in our decisions each day that our lives may be a witnessing of His love and grace for us, and that our passion would transform the lives of those around us.

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.