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    by Rebecca Livermore

Never Lacking in Zeal
Date Posted: March 28, 2007

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord (Romans 12:11 NIV).

I love starting new projects! Oh, the excitement and anticipation of what the finished project will look like! But often, after awhile, the excitement fades, especially if the project isn’t turning out like I expected, or if it’s harder or takes longer to complete than anticipated. The bottom line is that once it isn’t fun any more, it’s easy to quit.

Surely I’m not alone in this. I know many people who have tons of yarn, art supplies, or quilting fabric stashed away in cabinets, closets, and drawers. In spite of the initial excitement, and in spite of the abundance of gorgeous materials, project after project gathers dust, when the enthusiasm for the projects wanes.

Although most Christians won’t admit it, and perhaps are not even aware of it themselves, many treat their faith like a craft project. When they’re in the mood, they get out their Christianity and play with it for awhile, but when the excitement dissipates, they stuff their faith away in a dark, forgotten closet. Sure, every now and then when they attend a retreat or hear an especially convicting sermon, they once again dust off their Bible and read it, or spend time in prayer every day – for awhile.

I’ve often lulled myself into thinking that mediocrity in my walk with the Lord is okay. . . at least some of the time. After all, I can’t be expected to be excited about the Lord all the time, can I? Guess again. Paul’s opinion on that matter is different than that of most people in the church today. His exhortation to the church in Rome makes it obvious that he expected Christians to be fervent in their walk with the Lord not just some of the time, but all the time.

Are you currently zealous in your walk with the Lord, or have you allowed yourself to slip into humdrum Christianity? If you’re lacking in zeal, ask God to draw you closer to Him, and while you’re at it, dust your Bible off, and consider what the Lord might have to say to you today!

Father, we pray that You will help us to be fervent in our walk with You. Help us to shake off the apathy that so easily overtakes us. We pray that You will bring others into our lives who will help us to be consistent in our walk with You. Amen.

Thought: Journal about where you currently are in regarding your zeal for the Lord. If your zeal is lacking, write out a plan for moving forward in this area. (Note: If you don't like to journal, make this a matter of prayer.)

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Biography Information:
Rebecca Livermore is a speaker and freelance writer from Denver, Colorado. Her passion is helping people grow spiritually. To learn more about her ministry, and to read her articles on spiritual disciplines, visit http://www.rebeccalivermore.com.
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