I recently looked up the word “zeal” in my dictionary as it’s not a word used these days very much. The dictionary defined it as great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. Now that is something we really need more of if we are to see revival. The early Christians believed that Jesus’s return would be immanent – just read the book of the Acts of the Apostles and hopefully you will see what I am getting at. I tend to think that zeal comes out of enthusiasm which is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money and power and influence. Single-handed the enthusiast convinces and dominates where the wealth accumulated by a small army of workers would scarcely raise any interest.
Enthusiasm tramples over prejudice and opposition, spurns inaction, storms the citadel of its object, and like an avalanche overwhelms and engulfs all obstacles. It is nothing more or less than faith in action.
Faith and initiative rightly combined remove mountainous barriers and achieve the unheard of and miraculous.
Set the germ of enthusiasm afloat in your church, in your organisation or even in your own family; carry it in your attitude and manner; it spreads like contagion and influences every fibre in our lives before you realise it; it means increase in production and decrease in costs; it means joy and pleasure, and satisfaction, it means life, real and virile; it means spontaneous bedrock results – the vital things we all long for. Let’s all pray that God will help to increase enthusiasm in our churches and in our lives.
John
