The Purpose of Our Passions

When I heard this, I sat down and wept. In fact, for days I mourned, fasted, and prayed to the God of heaven.

Nehemiah 1:4

Have you ever been so moved by something that it permeated every area of your life? Every thought, every decision, every action was filtered through this passion? This is not the passion of a high school sweetheart or a 2 year old melting down for the candy at the cash register. This a passion from God that starts in your soul and overflows from your heart with a burning need to love others well.

This is a passion with a purpose. – a passion with the power to change lives.

Nehemiah had this kind of passion for the Israelites returning to the city of Jerusalem. The walls of the city had been destroyed. The purpose of his passion was to go rebuild this wall.

Nehemiah could have given God all kinds of excuses. After all he was a servant far, far away from Jerusalem. He wasn’t just free to go. Even as a servant he had a comfortable life. Instead of making excuses, he went to God in prayer for direction. God provided over and above, I am sure, what Nehemiah could even have imagined.

The king supported him. The Israelites followed him. Nehemiah was the only one, however, with the passion to answer God’s call and fulfill His purpose.

It makes one think, doesn’t it, about our own passions. Is God calling us? Do we have a passion? What is the purpose of our passions? Do we have the faith and courage to answer?