Telling people about Jesus is one of the greatest privileges I can imagine. As I read about Paul's journey's and the difficulty he encountered, I am blessed by how focused he remains.

He does not get distracted with details of suffering and imprisonment. He just spends his time telling those who will listen about his best friend...one he never knew personally, until he was overwhelmed by tremendous light on the road to Damascus.

He was passionate about Christ!

I am often moved by passion. People who are passionate stir something within me that I cannot describe. I don't always agree with what they are passionate about. I don't always agree with the direction of their passion. Yet, their passion awakens something within me.

I have been passionate about a few things in my life. I can remember when my interest for a thing or a hobby was growing. I would speak about it to anyone who would listen. If you are passionate, there will always be an audience for what you have to say.

People are moved by others who have a deep, abiding belief and understanding of what they are talking about. People want to be stirred. They are hungry for something to throw their energy behind.

I am dumbfounded as I look back at some of the things I have been passionate about, because as I gained knowledge and would speak about the topic, people would listen, and some even joined in with me to enjoy the tangible aspects of whatever it was.

I am embarrassed at how long it took me to become passionate about my Savior. I remember a trail of other interests that led up to the discovery that Jesus was truly the only passion that was worthy of my energy and effort. Each of my other interests lasted only a season. Three or four years, usually.

Jesus promises and brings fulfillment in ways that no thing or event ever can.

We can spend our lives planning for the next weekends activities. We can fill our calenders with things we enjoy doing. We can be so busy doing the things we love...and remain completely unfulfilled. This cycle continues.

We plan more things of interest to continually try to fill that void. We anticipate them. We look forward to them and talk about them. Then the time comes and goes, finding our participation enjoyable, but completely empty of the expected finished product.

We are trying to fill a Spiritual void with an intangible element of the world. It will never bring the expected pleasure over the long run.

The solution is to stop chasing after what cannot possibly bring us fulfillment. That includes everything but Jesus.

If your like me, it will take way too long before you come to understand this. Empty, unfulfilled Christians stand side by side in churches every weekend, hoping to find what they already have, but are not allowing to be all that God wants it to be. His place in their hearts is being suppressed by all of the other things that the world is offering.

They may entertain for a season, but when the season passes, so does the pleasure.

Christ alone is worthy of your passion!

dad