ride like jehu

I want to be like Jehu.

A man of great Zeal for the things of God. Passion and direction for the things of Christ, lived out with fury. With zeal. With abandon.

Jehu knew life like this. The scene in 2 Kings 9-10: Commander Jehu was anointed in his field tent by an out-of-breath and unnamed 'crazy' prophet, sent by God through Elisha, to destroy the house of the evil King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. With the anointing oil still dripping off his eyebrows, and the 'babbling' prophet running off into the wilderness as quickly as he came, what does Jehu do? What any smart person would do - he drops everything to obey his calling - and he does so with fierce zeal.

Jehu knew zeal. A soldier whose reputation for fantastic chariot riding in battle was know across the county, he was referred to as a reckless madman. How often do we espouse to be reckless madmen and madwomen as we gather together around the Word?

How do I respond to the Word of God? When He reveals His Plan to me from His Word? When His Spirit convicts me of the right path when I am tempted to do otherwise? When I know I am called to serve Him in a task or opportunity?

Do I wait for confirmation to get involved? Do I look for a better time to make time for my kids? Do I wait until the moment is perfect to apologize? Do I figure that she wouldn't really be interested in hearing the Gospel anyways? "He's pretty good guy - I'll bet he goes to church and can hear about Christ there." Do I hit pause and hope to forget the Word and settle into more comfortable options of action.

Or do I seize the moment? Do I ride right into the fire-fight and call people into God's plan and Kingdom?! Do I act with zeal - like I really mean it?

It's been a real honor to spend these last 4 months serving as part of the Body here at LCC. Having grown up here and started my walk with Christ here, it's great to get to serve for a while as part of the localized Body again. I am not sure of all that God is doing in our midst as I am here, but I am praying for an infusion of Zeal into each individual and family at LCC. I pray that God cements His vision for living and expanding His Kingdom in each of our hearts and gives us the burning passion to accomplish it - to take it by storm.

Make us these People Lord: That our neighbors wouldn't just notice our wild driving at 6am, but that our lives would be come wildly unmistakable. The Neighbor that everybody on the block knows has a grip on life and will gladly help you with yours... The Co-worker who is Passionate about Christ - even beyond the cubicle of life. The Woman who is Zealous for Forgiveness in her relationships, even beyond the pain of the past. The Man who Recklessly represents the Savior to a dying world, even though he risks his reputation at work with each testimony.

And if we were mad-people like that at LCC, I can only imagine what the Lord could do with and among us...