Passion

There are few things that embody the word "passion" like an Olympic athlete. The drive they have! That focus of purpose. A sense of direction and the strength of desire to reach a goal and a desired outcome. Can the same be said of us?

Look at this picture of Michael Phelps. Would you say he has a passion? I would. Look at that face! Look at his focus. He's not looking to the right or to the left. He is focused on his goal and nothing is going to get in his way or keep him from accomplishing his mission.

Have you ever seen the movie Passion of The Christ? Why is the word "passion" used when talking about Jesus? Surely, He could not have had a desire to die on the cross and endure a savage beating. Surely His passion was not to suffer, to be humiliated and spat upon, mocked and ridiculed!

Wrong.

As much as it was Michael Phelps passion to be the best swimmer in the world, the passion of Jesus was far deeper and meaningful. The passion of Christ was to the death. Jesus' passion was to obey the will of His Father. He sacrificed everything for Him.

Do we have that kind of passion in our worship? In our serving others? Do we have that kind of passion in our jobs or in our relationships. No. But what if we did?

Look at both pictures of these men. See any similarities? Both are men. Both have an intense expression on their faces. Michael is in a pool of water. Jesus is in a pool of His own blood. Each of them has their arms outstretched to accomplish their mission. Both inspire others by their accomplishments. But that is where the similarities end.

While Michael Phelps earned a few gold medals and got his name printed in a record book some place, his passion is about something he accomplished of a personal nature. Jesus accomplished WAY more than any mere human could ever even think about.

Jesus has a passion for two things. He had a passion for His Father in heaven. The other thing He had a passion for, and STILL has a passion for, is for you and for me. He sacrificed Himself so that we might have life. He sacrificed Himself because He had a passion to do His Father's will. Even though it cost Him His life.

Jesus accomplished for us what we could NEVER do for ourselves. He took OUR place on that cross, dying for OUR sins.

The question that eats at me, that should eat away at EVERY Christian, is How have we repaid Him for His passion? What have we done to honor our King, whose passion was not for Himself but for God and for others. May each of us wrestle with that question. And may we answer it with passion.

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. ³⁷ All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. ³⁸ For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. ³⁹ And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁰ For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” - John 6:35-40

Passion - An Olympic Rugby Player