If you enjoy watching sports, you have witnessed people acting out in extreme ways because of their passion for the sport and their preferred team. Likewise, maybe you’ve seen someone in church or elsewhere dancing and shouting or on their face, crying out to God? Some would say, “it doesn’t take all of that.” My response is, I agree – It doesn’t take all of that unless you are desperate! People display passionate and desperate attitudes at professional sports games because they are very serious about their team winning. Similarly, those who are desperate for God can’t help but show on the outside what they are experiencing on the inside. Apostle Paul was one who was desperate for God – consider his words.

2 Corinthians 5:13  “If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.”

I am amazed at how crazy some people are willing to be at a football or a basketball game or how extreme a person can be at a nightclub for the sake of impressing someone.  Sometimes I wonder… how far we are willing to go for the cause of Christ – the cause that is beyond all causes on planet Earth.

We all know that there are people who try to put on a spiritual act because they want attention, but there are those who are genuinely passionate for God. Be careful when you are tempted to judge such a person because you don’t know what trials or victories they’ve been through to bring them to that point, and you don’t know the depth of their passion and longing for what truly matters – our incredible God!

The word “devotion” speaks of profound dedication, consecrated and earnest attachment to a cause or person, etc.–the willingness to abandon all else for the sake of the cause! How do you respond when your love for something is greater than your love for life itself?

Psalm 63:2-4  I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.  Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name, I will lift up my hands. 

In the second book of Samuel, we have an example of David’s passion for God; take a look.

2 Samuel 6:12-16 Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal, daughter of Saul, watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

David’s wife Michal was embarrassed by David’s actions and despised him, but look at what the Word of God says regarding her attitude.

2 Samuel 6:20-23 When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” And Michal, daughter of Saul, had no children to the day of her death.

Michael’s attitude towards David caused her to go to her grave with no children. It is so important not to judge passionate worship towards God because passionate worship is what God longs for. Some have chosen to be judgmental and have found themselves baren in the kingdom of God.

One thing you can be sure of is that God loves your passionate heart towards him! Like David, the more we see God for who he really is, the more gratitude and passion will fill our hearts, and we will find ourselves having the same attitude as the apostle Paul–the attitude that is… 

Mellow for You but Crazy for God