Zealously Live

Zeal (n) -energetic and unflagging enthusiasm, especially for a cause or idea.


Zealously (adj.) -full of zeal; actively and unreservedly enthusiastic


Just reading these definitions get me all sorts of excited about living for God's glory. There is no other cause that i want to be known as or lay my life down for than the Creator of the Universe.

Earlier this week i was reading in 1 Kings and was really challenged at how the characteristic of zeal was being made known (or lack of) in my own life. The prophet Elijah had just encountered the Almighty God in the gentle whisper.

And a voice said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He replied again, "I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty..." ~1 Kings 19:14

Ashamedly, i cannot say i've always served the Lord with zeal. Some mornings Bible study has a stronger focus on what time it is than the scripture i'm studying, memorizing verses becomes another thing on the to do list than the privilege to know God's word, and seeking a higher moral standard is the last thing this sinner wants to do at the end of the day at times.


BUT this doesn't dismiss the reality... if i've actually come into the presence of God, if i've actually sought after Him as if my life depended on it-wouldn't there be a HUGE difference in how i interact with others and live my life. If we have the Spirit of God living in us (as promised in 1 Corinthians 3:16) shouldn't we live differently than those who don't?

The answer should be a resounding YES!!!

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

Ardor (n) -intense emotion: great passion, enthusiasm, or eagerness

The morning that i read this passage on Elijah, i committed to live with more zeal than was humanly possible with God's guidance. My travels had landed me in California on this particular day, and i was blessed to be surrounded by people.

Walking out of my hotel room, people's faces seemed to shine differently, i was drawn to start conversations with others more easily, and there was this forward pulling momentum of the goodness i was to witness from God that day.

That night when i returned to my hotel, i realized there was nothing that would be considered unusual or especially unique about the day, but i still found myself dancing before the Lord in praise. (I like to think as wildly as David did in 2 Samuel 6:14.) Perhaps this whole illustration seems questionable and even embarrassing for me to retell.

The point is...

there was a difference in my relationship with God when i pursued Him with zeal.

Fervor (n) -intensity: ardent or extremely passionate enthusiasm

We each know a person(s) in our life that lives with zeal. There is something special about them; almost a glow about them as they go about their day. Elijah, Paul, and David-all men zealously living for God, were seeking the same God we can zealously pursue.

i want to join them. Do you?

A Holy Difference

Could you even imagine what it would be like to be in the presence of God? Even as I'm typing this, this huge smile crosses my face, my eyes widen to the sky, and my heart begins to beat more quickly…and I'm just thinking about being in God’s presence.

How would we respond if we really encountered God?

How would we be Holy Different?

In searching out this answer, here are a few of my favorite responses to being in the presence of the Lord.

Moses encountering God in Exodus 33 and 34

Then Moses had one more request. “Please let me see your glorious presence, “ he said. The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, ‘the Lord’ to you. I will show kindness to anyone and I will show mercy to anyone I choose. But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live.” (chp. 33:18-20)

Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud and called out His own name, “the Lord,” as Moses stood there in His presence. He passed in front of Moses and said, “I am the Lord, I am the Lord, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.”

Moses immediately fell to the ground and worshiped. (chp. 34:5-8)

When Moses came down the mountain carrying the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant he wasn’t aware that his face was glowed because he had spoken to the Lord face to face. (chp. 34:29) 

Isaiah encountering God in the Temple Isaiah 6

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. (vs. 1) Then I said, “My destruction is sealed, for I am a sinful man and a member of a sinful race. Yet I have seen the Kind, the Lord Almighty!” (vs. 5) Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to my people? Who will go for us?”  And I said, “Lord, I’ll go! Send me.” (vs. 8)

Jesus with His disciples in Luke 24

Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting His hands to heaven, He blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up to heaven. They worshiped Him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. And they spend all of their time in the Temple, praising God.  (vs. 50-53)

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Moses, Isaiah, and the disciples all had a glimpse, a God glimpse of His presence. Moses was glowing, falling to his knees in worship, Isaiah on his knees in worshiped committed his life to God as a witness, and the disciples all were filled with joy and praises to God.

Each response resulted in pure praise to the Lord. As Christians, we have the ability to encounter God each day through prayer, worship, praise, and fellowship. Do our responses result in praise? If not, we must question are we really encountering the God of the universe.

Does your life show a Holy Difference from those who don’t know Christ?