Doing What You Love

When we lived in Vancouver I would bike almost every day—in the sun, in the rain, in the heat, in the (relative) cold.  I loved it!  Often I’d take my bike on the 30 km round trip commute to school even though I could take a bus and get there quicker.  When I needed to get away, I'd hop on my bike and take a trip around the stunning Seawall that borders Stanley Park.   I fell in love with the fresh air, the exercise, and the chance to see the city at a slower speed.  

One of the hardest things about moving back to the prairies has been not being able to bike all year round.  Sure, I suppose I could bundle up and put studs on my tires and then venture out into the stinging cold, biting wind, and sloppy streets.  But I wouldn’t love doing that.  And so, each year I eagerly anticipate a day like today when the sun is warm and the roads are melting—it means I can get back to doing what I love!

As I was wheeling around town this afternoon making various stops on my way back to the church while soaking in the glory of my first ride of the season, I got to thinking: do I feel the same way about God and by extension the church, as I do riding my bike?  Do I bide my time, anxious to get back to worshiping God with my fellow believers, soaking in His presence?  Or do I spend time with God simply out of a sense of obligation or to put on a good show for whoever might be watching?  

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Do I bide my time, anxious to get back to worshiping God with my fellow believers, soaking in His presence?  

There are many things in our lives that we can get excited about, things in which we take pride and joy; things that we love.  Think about such a thing in your life.  Then compare the passion and excitement you have for that thing (hockey, sledding, farming…) with the passion and excitement you have for God.  Feeling guilty yet?  I know I did a little when I compared how I felt about the things I value with my attitude toward God. 

The good news is (if you haven’t stopped reading yet), that it’s not about feeling guilty, even though so many people believe otherwise.  Instead, it is about the still, small voice of God’s Spirit calling us into greater intimacy with Him.  He wants us to love Him wholeheartedly and He is calling each of us to Himself to passionately pursue Him with all we are. 

So next time you are out doing the things that you love, think of God.  Give thanks that He has put a passion in your heart for whatever it is you love to do and invite God to give you a passionate heart to pursue Him with all your might.