To have the passion of Paul

If you know me in the least then you know my favorite Bible hero (besides Jesus) is the Apostle Paul. I have very rarely preached a sermon or taught a Sunday school class without mentioning Paul in some way. Just a glance at my bookshelf will reveal over a dozen books written about this great Apostle.

Yesterday during my lunch break I was sitting outside in my Pathfinder studying the Bible. I was reading Acts chapter 20:16-38, where Paul is bidding a tearful goodbye to the church at Ephesus. I couldn't help but get a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye as I read those passages of Scripture. I could just see the scene unfold before my eyes. My, how the people loved Paul and how he loved them. There was so much passion in his words. Not only was his passion for the people apparent but his passion for the Lord Jesus Christ was dominant in the conversation. Chills ran down my spine as I read his words in verse 24: "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." I know all of the labor and strife was going through his mind as he testified of his love for Jesus but yet none of those things moved him.

I re-read the above Scripture last night during our family altar time and once again my eyes misted over. I can't get the thought out of my head that Paul must have had twice the amount of passion in his heart for Jesus than I do. I began to wonder if I could have withstood all of the perils that Paul did in his time? It seems that nowadays people make any excuse in the world to stop following Jesus. We wear our feelings on our sleeves just waiting for someone to hurt them. I see so many church members with a chip on their shoulder sitting there just dying for someone to knock it off. Lately I've seen several church members leave the church over getting their feelings hurt. Unlike the Apostle Paul, we let everything move us. Oh, if we only knew what it was like to really have a desire and passion to follow Jesus the way Paul did. I want that passion in my life. I am making a resolution today to push all of my selfish desires out of my heart and try to have more love for other people and for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I'm not going to let anything move me.

Listen to a wonderful sermon by Curtis Hutson - None of these things move me.