A Prayer for Provocative Zeal

2 Corinthians 9:2 (KJV)

For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.

Paul is in the midst of writing his second letter to the once troubled church in Corinth and he makes this thought provoking statement about this Church. He tells them that the zeal or enthusiasm of this church had provoked or stirred up very many people.

If you have ever been around people with provocative zeal, you will not easily forget them. It doesn’t take very many encounters with this type of person, before you feel the compelling draw to what is beyond!

These are people who are content in where the Lord has placed them, yet never satisfied to stay the same.

They may not have much, but they utilize all that they have!

To hear them pray, is to hear them converse with the God of heaven as if they were talking to their loving Father.

To hear them sing, is to hear them rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. [1 Peter 1:8]

To hear them witness, is to hear the plea of a convinced heart telling of a truth that is better than life itself!

Yet, many miss such people because they are not often found in the spotlights or on the platforms but their life is hid with Christ in God! [Colossians 3:3]

I will leave you with two thoughts…

1st:

If you have the privilege of knowing someone of this caliber; sit with them, listen to them, glean from them. They have much to teach us, most of which will be delivered in what appears to be ordinary ways, and often without the use of words!

2nd:

It is my hope that as Christians we could incorporate in our prayers a plea that says; “Lord stir up my heart, so that my zeal and enthusiasm for you would be plainly evident! Also, let the plain appearance of my zeal and enthusiasm provoke others to draw close to you [James 4:8]!”