Is Jesus Your Passionate Pursuit?

It is apparent to many people today that we live in a nation satisfied by “Convenient Christianity.”  Most of the Church is content to be as little engaged in the Great Commission as possible, “Please don't ask me to do too much.  I just want to come to church, see my friends, hear a message that doesn't ask too much of me, and do it all over again next Sunday.”  

Sometime ago, I read an article by Elizabeth Elliot describing her passionate pursuit of Jesus, and the radical desire that both she and her husband Jim had to see the fulfillment of the Great Commission.  She reflected on their trips to college campuses trying to stir up young people to join them and go to the nations.

They talked about their mission heroes, like Amy Carmichael and others, that had this radical passion to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth.  And yes, it included the acknowledgement that it might mean giving up one's life for Christ.  Of course, ultimately, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint and others would give their lives for Jesus in Ecuador.

I spent some time thinking about some of the young people I know who are traveling to the mission field either long or short term, and about their radical commitment and passion to take the world back from Satan and win it for Jesus Christ.

At what price?  It will include some suffering, some loss, and yes, a lot of passion.  I think of the words of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians where he says, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” (Philippians 3:8)  He was talking about his personal, passionate pursuit of Jesus.  But then later in vs.17 he said, “Join with others in following my example.”

Will you follow his example today?  Are you willing to make Jesus your “passionate pursuit?”  The words of Jim Elliot still ring out clearly a heart of passion, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

What will you give?  You may think you can't afford to give much, but you must know that you can't keep it forever anyway.  So, give it away for Jesus!