A Passion for the Word of God

It is often the case that we can judge the quality of our endeavors by the nature of its effects. For example, think about exercising at the gym—if your body is not sore and sweaty, than you were probably not exercising right. Or consider cooking a meal, if it does not satisfy your hunger and taste good, than you were probably not cooking right. Or even think about snowboarding or surfing; if it is not fun and thrilling and exciting, than you were probably not snowboarding or surfing right.

Is it any different with the study of God’s Word? If you read and study God’s Word and it does not increase your passion for truth and set your heart on fire with love for God, then you are probably not doing it right. God Himself said, “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jer 23:29) Like fire! Like a hammer!

Consider the testimony of Scripture about this: In Luke 24 we read about the risen Lord appearing before two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus drew near to them, “but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” Speaking about the resurrection, their hopes about Jesus of Nazareth were dashed and they were confused. Jesus said to them “‘O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (v. 25-27) Then when they reached the village Jesus finally revealed Himself to them.

But what was the effect of Jesus’ “interpreting the Scriptures” for them?

Verse 32 tells us that “they said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while He talked to us on the road, while He opened to us the Scriptures?’” Christ burned away their unbelief concerning a crucified Messiah and seared into their hearts a passion for the truth and a love for God. And this response is not much different than on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 where Peter preached Christ and “when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” (v. 37)

What shall we do!? What shall we do…