Do you remember your first day of school? You were so excited that you were going to be in school. Your zeal consumed you. Do you remember going into high school? There your zeal escalated as you could not wait to be a high school student. Again, how about that first job? You had zeal that you would actually be making some money.
In your Christian life zeal played a very important role as a new believer. You could not wait until it was time to go to church. Your zeal to read and study the Scriptures was all part of that new birth. Gradually over time, the newness of being a Christian wore off. With it the zeal for Bible reading, Bible study, church attendance, and unfortunately being a Christian witness, left as well.
It is time to get back to basics and go back to your first love. Zeal is essential for witnessing and successfully living your Christian life. “Wait up, sing up, preach up, pray up, pay up, stay up, and never give up or let up, or back up, or shut up, until the cause of Christ in the church and the world is built up” (Woodland Christian Church, Kansas City, Missouri). Zeal is the motivation you need to stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Zeal is not some over the top outward action, but is an inner emotional attitude.
God’s word needs to be acted upon internally and externally. Ezra addresses zeal in obedience to the word of God by saying, “Whatever is commanded by the Lord of heaven, let it be done with zeal” (Ezra 7:23). Take the commands of Scripture and live them in such a way that those around you will see your zeal for God.
It is time to put some zeal back into your life. It does not matter how long you have gone without zeal in your life. It is never too late to start doing what is right. Right now, ask the Lord for His zeal and go into your world and show it!
