Purposeful Passion

Purposeful Passion

Deuteronomy 4: 32-40 (NIV)

32Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? 33Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? 34Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

35You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. 36From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. 37Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, 38to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.

39Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time. 

Purpose and passion are two interconnected elements of leadership. On the topic of purpose Rick Warren points out that living on purpose is the only way to live; everything else is just existing. Purpose ignites passion and passion feeds purpose. Some people think that setting goals is enough. Goals set a direction but are fleeting. But purpose is everlasting. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

When God is at the center of your life, you worship. When He is not, you worry. Worry saps you of your purpose and passion. Worry consumes energy from your life. Passion is a foundation for achievement making the impossible possible. Passion has a transformative impact.

In this passage Moses is speaking to the Israelites and asking them to realize their own purpose, passion, and calling through remembering God’s faithfulness to them and His call upon them. Through this message Moses imparts the vision of their destiny. Additionally Moses called upon the people to do whatever must be done to enter the promised land together as one unified people. Moses wanted to have the people consumed and energized by the completion of their mission.

As a leader how are you serving passionately with all your heart? What fears have kept you from fulfilling your purpose and passion? What would others say your passion and purpose is?

Passion and purpose is what drives leaders to accomplish the work that they have been set out upon no matter how big or small the task. The task (the service we are to provide as leaders) is by His will. To turn away from it is to turn away from God. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” As in the Stephen Curtis Chapman song, once love overtakes you, and animates you, then His passion becomes your passion in your heart and moves from your heart into your hands to do His will.

“You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in You.” Isaiah 26:3 (TEV).