Could that same slogan be written over our lives? Passion lives here! Or, conversely, would our lives be like the Mole, edifices created to placate others with religion, only to be converted to our own desires when trouble comes? Is our religious practice a monument to a quarrel? Hmmm.
Here are some things that we ought to be passionate about:
- Developing our relationship with God -- by spiritual growth
- Telling others about our relationship with God -- by spiritual testimony
- Erasing anything that will destroy our relationship with God -- by spiritual confession and repentance
God has entrusted each of us with our own set of unique passions (gifts, talents, abilities, etc.) that must be employed to accomplish these big three. Even the common or profane items, like golfing, must be used as avenues to accomplish those greater goals. The NT word zeal is one of my favorite words. It embodies the idea of passion. It has the idea of fully engulfed in flames -- burning up for Jesus! That is the kind of passion that ought to live here!
Passionately pursuing God,
Mike
2 comments:
two questions- is golf common or profane?
Explain what you mean by is our religious practice a result of a quarrel?
The answer to the first question is yes. Golf fits in that category of common or profane -- as opposed to divine or holy. It is after all just a game. A "mantra" that I use to calm me down after a wicked slice into the woods! :D
The explanation that goes wit the second is...
I don't want ot be a member of a church that claims to be the only holder of truth. I am a baptist, by practice and conviction. I believe that we are practicing our relationship with God in a Biblical way (ref Baptist distinctives). However, I am not so naive/conceited that I think that the Baptist church is the only one, and especially that WYOMING BAPTIST CHURCH is the only one, that contains believers. I don't want our building to be known as a fortress where all of the stuck-on-themselves Baptists hide out -- they're too good to mingle with us, we're ___________(fill in the blanks). Please do not read this as ecumenical blurring of the distinctions of denominations. I am simply drawing attention to the fact that separation issues can cut people off at the knees and we need to be a bit more humane in our stand. This kind of discussion does NOT go over well with some who want us to "remember the fallen", who "died for these distinctives". I am NOT disrespecting these men. I AM saying don't open salavtion up to those who are good enough to come into our churches.
There that ought to a) muddy the waters sufficiently or b) generate further, probably heated, discussion. Either way, that is the life of blogging! :)
Thanks for the q's, Mike
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