What's your zeal index?

Wow, it's been 2 weeks! I'm pretty disappointed in myself that I haven't had the opportunity to keep up with blogging. I really need to get back into the routine of setting time aside to post...but I hope you're encouraged by this one!

I'd like to focus this post on two passages - 2 Corinthians 13:5, 7:11.

13:5 - "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you - unless indeed you faith the test?"

7:11 - "For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you: what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter."

I believe a life that has experienced true repentance and transformation will bear good fruits (John 15), that true believers love God, love His word, are devoted to God's glory, AND are eager to obey.

With that said, I wonder why it is then that people sometimes cannot distinguish "believers" from "non-believers". Are we not to be set apart? To be way different from the world and to live our lives in excellence, above reproach, for God's honor and glory?

And so I ran across a very interesting quote by Bishop J.C. Ryle about zeal in religion:

A zealous man sees only one thing, cares only for one thing, lives for one thing; he is swallowed up for one thing. He burns for one thing; that thing is to please God, and to advance God's glory.

And I thought hard about what I'm passionate about, if I could identify what I saw as "passion" and "zeal" in others around me, and if those lined up with what we profess as believers...and that has turned up mixed results.

I asked a friend of mine recently to present evidence of "fruit" in the life of her friend, and her response was "why should I do that?" I have reflected on that...and quite frankly, the lack of discernment is frightening.

The saddest thing is...we often spend time and money and resources thinking about, pursuing things that are NOT pleasing to God, not advancing God's glory. Makes you wonder even more about why these things aren't more "obvious" to us, that things that matter greatly to the heart of God, should matter to us. That God is a jealous God (Ex. 20:5) and he deserves our full devotion and attention!

So I pray that your witness, your example, your life is one of zeal (as defined above), that others could characterize you as a zealous man or zealous woman, someone who recklessly abandons and counts it all loss in order to pursue that "one thing".

May God grant us the ability and opportunity to cultivate hearts that are not "lukewarm", that no one has to ask whether you love Jesus, whether you serve God, whether you believe the Bible as truth and the food you long for.,.because it should be OBVIOUS.

Grace and peace to you.