Lost Passion

Doreen and I recently celebrated our 44th wedding anniversary.  Many will know that over the last few years she has suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease.  In some ways, the woman I married all those years ago has changed so I have been learning to love her all over again.  We still enjoy many precious moments together, and she is as dear to me today as she has ever been. I thank God for that passion I feel that now enables me to serve and care for her.  Indeed, it is that passion that makes service a pleasure.

Sadly, these days, I hardly ever hear anyone talking about a passion for the lost. I find myself wondering whether the passion for the lost has declined because we have lost passion.  Where is the spirit of John Knox who prayed, “Give me Scotland, or I die”?  We might not have the faith or courage to pray for an entire nation to be saved, but, surely, we could adapt this prayer to the place where we live.

In a previous Praise & Prayer News I reflected on the way in which the three parables about the lost and found in Luke 15 (a coin, a sheep, and a son) contain many important nuances that demonstrate aspects of the gospel.  But the most important element of these three stories is the passion of the searchers. The shepherd is not content with his 99 but goes and searches, not resting, until he finds it. The woman sweeps the entire house diligently until she finds the coin.  The father who was abandoned by his selfish son, runs to welcome him back home. There is passion for the recovery of what was lost.

Back in the days when holding evangelistic missions was more common (I’m not exactly sure why they are now so uncommon), I sometimes heard people say that even if only one person was saved, it was worth all the effort and cost involved.  However, I reasoned that as long as there were still some who have yet to be saved, it was worth it! It was the fact that the sheep, coin and son were lost that justified the passion for their recovery.

In a recent conversation, the person with whom I was talking spoke about sensitive feet.  I discovered that, like me, she found walking over shingle on the beach unbearably painful.  The only way I can cope is to wear sandals. The apostle Paul noted that good footwear was an essential part of a soldiers readiness for the battle.  He likens this to the “readiness that comes from the gospel of peace” (NIV).  This is a phrase that has proved difficult for many Bible commentators. Roman soldiers needed to be well shod in order to cover ground to engage the enemy.  Paul might have been implying that the gospel provides a strong foundation on which we stand. While I do not want to dispute that interpretation, the concept of readiness suggests an immediacy from the impact of the gospel, that finds a similar thought in 1 Peter 3:15, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

The gospel that is the foundation of our faith should always be so continually thrilling in our hearts that we are always ready to share the story at any and every opportunity.  Passion for the lost is not something that is an unrelated emotion; it is a passion that has been stirred up by the impact of the gospel in our own lives. Such a passion will both stimulate and direct our prayers.

The same passion will motivate us to share the gospel with others.  Paul, who declares that he is “not ashamed of the gospel” also writes, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel”. Although it would be easy to suggest that such a passion would be expected in those called to be evangelists, I note that in Acts chapter 8, those Christians who had been scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution shared the gospel everywhere they went.  No wonder the church expanded so quickly!

Today, I search my own heart, and I encourage you to do the same.  Am I as passionate today about praying for the salvation of others, and about sharing the gospel as I have been in the past?  If I have lost passion, what caused that? How might it be recovered, if it has diminished? Actually, I experienced a recent stimulation while reflecting on the unique nature of God as completely divine and completely human.  He had to be completely human so that he could die on the cross, paying the price for our salvation. He had to be completely divine because God could not ask other than himself to make that sacrifice. Such is the love that planned and achieved a way of forgiveness and eternal life for me and you.

So, here are the hard questions:

• When was the last time someone was converted or came to faith in Christ in your church?
• If that has not happened for some time or is not happening regularly in your church, do you really care?
• How often do you pray for the salvation of others?
• When did you last share your testimony or a word of the gospel with others?
• Have you and your church diligently sought ways of sharing the gospel in a way that is culturally effective and draws people to Christ?
• How does the way in which your church applies its human and financial resources demonstrate a priority for sharing the gospel?
• If these questions are disturbing, what needs to be done about it?

May God grant us the passion to love as he loves, be prepared to sacrifice, as he was prepared to be sacrificed, and bring the good news to others as he did through his earthly life.

The opposite to passion is complacency, and the only difference between a rut and a grave is a matter of degree.

Barry