Intentions
"Lord, all my longing is before you. My sighing is not hidden from you." Ps 38:9
Passion has become a buzzword in big business. When you really need to pull out all the stops and impress someone with how much you mean business, you drop the passion bomb. "I really have a lot of passion around this initiative." "We need to be passionate about our clients." As with other buzzwords, the key is placement and not to overuse them. Of course, that doesn't stop many folks. On any one conference call I've heard professionals with passions from customer care to peanuts.
What is the idea behind the real meaning of passion? Maybe it's longing; what we truly long for. In the verse above, other translations use desire. All these give me the same kind of idea. But unlike our businessperson example, when it comes down to it, we all have one overriding desire that directs our life. Maybe it's money; maybe it's romantic love; maybe it's our kids and family. Or maybe, once we clean away all the dross, somewhere deep inside we have a longing for God.
I love returning to the example of King David. He was a big sinner. He wasn't known for his theology or doctrine. But he was a man after God's own heart. He fulfilled, and wrote, the most powerful lines in spirituality in my mind. "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." Ps 34:18. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart O God you will not despise." Ps 51:17 David was, above all things, humble before God. He was a murderer, an adulterer, and I'm sure we're missing other sins. But when it got down to it, he loved God with everything. When he was confronted with his sin, he repented. And not with a false pretensious humility of a Pharisee, but with the humility of one "broken" of his own will.
Pick that word that resonates with you. Passion. Desire. Longing. Humility. What is it about me that strikes my passion? What is it in my life that when I wake up, I can't wait to see, to do, to pursue? When I have 3 minutes between appointments, between thoughts, in the middle of the day to stop and reflect, what is it that I fill my mind with? Whatever it is, God knows. "All my longing is before you."
I wish I could honestly say in this post, like David, all my longing is for you God. Unfortunately, that may be disingenuous. But not to despair, heart of mine, for there still remains my intentions. And I can honestly say, I want to love God with all my being. I want to create a longing in me for Him that surpasses my other passions. I want to desire the kingdom of God to come in my life more than anything. More than sinful desires, and even more than the good gifts He grants to me, I want a relationship with God. And so I hope in another verse from David. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Ps 37:4.
Lord, grant me the desires of my heart. Not the earthly ones that are already there; not the ones I have created in my own image. But give me a desire for you. Would that I may long for you, and allow your Son to form His image in my life. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, allow that my intentions would be more for you, and less of anything else short of your Glory.
Passion has become a buzzword in big business. When you really need to pull out all the stops and impress someone with how much you mean business, you drop the passion bomb. "I really have a lot of passion around this initiative." "We need to be passionate about our clients." As with other buzzwords, the key is placement and not to overuse them. Of course, that doesn't stop many folks. On any one conference call I've heard professionals with passions from customer care to peanuts.
What is the idea behind the real meaning of passion? Maybe it's longing; what we truly long for. In the verse above, other translations use desire. All these give me the same kind of idea. But unlike our businessperson example, when it comes down to it, we all have one overriding desire that directs our life. Maybe it's money; maybe it's romantic love; maybe it's our kids and family. Or maybe, once we clean away all the dross, somewhere deep inside we have a longing for God.
I love returning to the example of King David. He was a big sinner. He wasn't known for his theology or doctrine. But he was a man after God's own heart. He fulfilled, and wrote, the most powerful lines in spirituality in my mind. "The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit." Ps 34:18. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart O God you will not despise." Ps 51:17 David was, above all things, humble before God. He was a murderer, an adulterer, and I'm sure we're missing other sins. But when it got down to it, he loved God with everything. When he was confronted with his sin, he repented. And not with a false pretensious humility of a Pharisee, but with the humility of one "broken" of his own will.
Pick that word that resonates with you. Passion. Desire. Longing. Humility. What is it about me that strikes my passion? What is it in my life that when I wake up, I can't wait to see, to do, to pursue? When I have 3 minutes between appointments, between thoughts, in the middle of the day to stop and reflect, what is it that I fill my mind with? Whatever it is, God knows. "All my longing is before you."
I wish I could honestly say in this post, like David, all my longing is for you God. Unfortunately, that may be disingenuous. But not to despair, heart of mine, for there still remains my intentions. And I can honestly say, I want to love God with all my being. I want to create a longing in me for Him that surpasses my other passions. I want to desire the kingdom of God to come in my life more than anything. More than sinful desires, and even more than the good gifts He grants to me, I want a relationship with God. And so I hope in another verse from David. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Ps 37:4.
Lord, grant me the desires of my heart. Not the earthly ones that are already there; not the ones I have created in my own image. But give me a desire for you. Would that I may long for you, and allow your Son to form His image in my life. Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, allow that my intentions would be more for you, and less of anything else short of your Glory.
posted by Jeff at
8:18 AM
