Passion must be real, not manufactured. Many begin their walk with Christ full of excitement in a vibrant relationship with their Savior. They can’t wait to read, they run to church for fellowship, they are leaping out of their seats in worship. Over time, many allow themselves to slip from this vibrant relationship into a tired form of religion. What was once exciting in that we actually get to spend time with the Lord is replaced with a tired form of religion which is carried out in a passionless manner. No longer feeling that we get to spend time with Him, we now act like we have to fulfill our obligations. Many born into certain denominations never have that passion phase, never actually enter into a relationship with Christ, but instead follow the same tired rituals of their parents. This lack of passion is not specific to certain denominations, but can creep into any group of believers and any individual believer. We must never crave the “good old days”, but instead we must crave a fresh work from the Holy Spirit daily.

Notice the two reactions when the temple foundation is laid in Ezra 3:10-13, “When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord, according to the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever toward Israel.” Then all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levite’s and heads of the fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first temple, wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this temple was laid before their eyes. Yet many shouted aloud with joy,...”. Jesus said in Matthew 9:17, “Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” God is not looking to keep the status quo. He desires a freshness in our walk. He desires a fresh walk with the Spirit daily. It has been said that every movement begins with a man, over time this movement becomes a machine, and if not changed this machine becomes a museum or a mausoleum.

The old men missed it. They should be ascribing worth to God which is what worship really is, not ascribing worth to the building. How do we stay fresh and open to the moving of the Holy Spirit? By staying in His Word. By freshly washing ourselves with the entirety of His Word, not just our favorite verses or sections. The Word will prepare us, make us pliable and flexible for whatever new work the Lord wants for us. In Jesus’ example above, old wineskins would be renewed by soaking them in water. Likewise, the Lord renews us with the washing of His Word. Those of us who have been reborn and entered into this fresh relationship with Christ must beware of the tendency to allow this relationship to become stale. It is never His fault, but ours. We should be the most energetic people drawing others in by our sheer excited walk. Others should be drawn to Christ as they see our real relationship which is full of passion. We should all take stock of ourselves. Are outsiders choosing to remain outside due to our actions and passionless presentation of Christ? May we all wash ourselves daily in His Word. If stale, may we wash ourselves anew, and be the ambassadors we were called to be (Philippians 3:20).