The other night my sons and I were talking about a movie they’d gone to see. Having had one of those brain spasm moments wherein you can’t come up with a word that’s on the tip of your tongue, I tried to ask which theater they went to. Being unable to think of the word "theater", I foolishly blurted out: "What movie house did you guys go to?" Howls and screeches of "Movie house!! Dad said movie house!!" followed for a good 10 minutes. How’s that for "hip?"

I can take the stodginess and being hip-impaired (maybe I’m in need of a total hip replacement?). It’s the cooling of my passions that’s got me most bugged. I’m aware that one can live a passionate life all the way to an elderly grave (and probably beyond for that matter). However, knowing this and doing this are far different things. To make matters worse, my dimming passions are currently living alongside my oldest son’s blazing ones, fanned to flame by his first true love. When he and Lora can’t be with one another, they find they must be in auditory contact over the phone for hours at a time simply to sustain life itself! The rest of us have to watch our step around home for fear of being swept under by the flood of hormones gushing out from underneath the door to Eric’s room. This from a kid, mind you, who not more than a year ago only got passionate over grand slams and slam dunks.

So, Where Oh Where did my passions go? Oh where, Oh where can they be? No doubt the same place other’s, have wound up. Passions take a real beating under the relentless press of paying bills, going to work everyday, coping with irritating people, compromising your dreams, raising kids, mowing the lawn, being responsible, paying your taxes, re-grouping after a divorce, living with chronic physical pain, and a host of other "passion pounders." From what I’ve observed, ironically, It’s often the most responsible among us that lose their passion the soonest. Working hard and always doing what’s expected by others often crowds out the zest and "juice" of life; resulting in a feeling of being squeezed and wrung out.

Nevertheless, God apparently wants us to perpetuate our passions. Passion may in fact be more important to Him than protocol. This is why the verse in Christ’s Revelation to John caught my eye. Notice what the church at Ephesus was doing: Working hard, persevering, not tolerating evil, testing false apostles, and enduring hardship. I would dare say that the Ephesians would be a tough act for many modern day churches to follow. Yet despite their dogged determination, Jesus holds their loss of passion ("forsaking their first love") against them. Early in their history, they evidently were intense for the Lord. He asks them to remember the heights of former passion, love, and devotion to Him. He even warns that failing to return to their first love, jeopardizes their standing with Him before the Throne. This desire of Jesus for a passionate relationship with His Bride is only further underscored a few verses later (Rev. 3:15-16) when He professes to the church at Laodicea how He wishes that they were either hot or cold, anything but lukewarm! This is not to say Jesus ignores unadorned, gut-it-out faithfulness. Quite the contrary. However, it does seems to clearly indicate His desire that the "juice" of our love for Him never dry up. That it be vibrant, sweet, exciting and alive!

What then are the passionateless to do? I was hoping you might tell me. Suffice to say, however, suggestions probably include changing one’s perspective, getting reacquainted with former loves, and unburdening oneself from unnecessary loads accumulated along the way. It also means, asking Christ’s Holy Spirit to have sway and reign in our hearts and minds. As with other emotional states, passion for God is one Jesus never expected us to manufacture alone. What does Jesus know about passion? Have you ever wondered just how intensely passionate He felt hanging on a cross screaming out "Father forgive them…"? We focus so much on His suffering and agony at Calvary, we lose sight of what I believe were equal amounts of passion and love felt on that same cruel cross. Next time your passion begins to cool, remember the passion that took God from heaven to a stable to a cross and then to a tomb. He’s pretty "head-over-heals" for you, wouldn’t you say?!