returning passion

In a message I heard recently, someone said that 'the passion anyone has for Christ is directly proportionate to their experience of Christ'.

Isn't that a great statement? Its basic, yet still profound when stated so succintly.

Here's the cool thing.. I've had some really amazing, life changing encounters with a god who is alive (not dead, not ancient, not historical) and who guides, who is present and faithful, whose voice I recognize often. Isn't that great? Whats more is that if it weren't for those encounters, I'd have given up on faith a long time ago. I'm not strong enough, or disciplined enough.. I'm too much of a screw up to hold it together. But somehow that didn't factor in to the equation or limit opportunities (I'm sure I missed alot of them along the way, too) to have these memorable encounters.

But it doesn't stop there... as I read the recorded stories about Christ, I realize that I've only experienced a smidgen of all that he is. I've got a lifetime to continue to experience all sorts of new things with him and because of him. That's even more great!

I don't know if its coming through in this blog or not, but some passion that was dormant for a while is returning. Have you ever gone on a hike and emerged into a clearing, only to realize that you'd been in that place before, that it wasn't new after all? That is what I've been feeling like these last couple of weeks... returning to the familiar.

I wish and pray this sense of optimism and hope for each of you ...