Several years ago, when I was teaching high school, I had an unforgettable conversation with one of my students. This young man professed atheism. I bore witness of my faith to this student, citing reasons that I did believe there was a God. The Holy Spirit did not will to bring him to faith then, and I have long since lost contact. However, I remember his saying to me, "If I did believe in God, I would never get off my knees!" What he meant was, that if such a Being as God existed, he would be so overwhelmed by the realization of his awesome power and holiness, that he could not refrain himself from constant adoration. In one sense, it was a satirical remark, commenting on the lack of commitment on the part of those who professed to be believers.

My young friend had a point. Why do people not stand in awe of God's holiness? Why do they not fall before Him in deepest reverence? Why do they not thank Him endlessly for his mercy and grace? Perhaps they do not understand God. Perhaps they do not understand the mystery of the cross.

Once I tried to manipulate people, including myself, into having a passion for God. One way is to command it. Love God! Be on fire! Another way is to emotionalize them into it: youth rallies, workshops, revivals, stirring sermons. None of this worked. The effect, if there was one, quickly died off, and people found themselves living from one high to another, trying desperately to have a God-fix that would solidify this fluid, rapidly escaping thing called religious zeal or holy affections, as Jonathan Edwards put it.

Only God can create the passion. But the tried and true route that he uses with people is not human manipulation, spectacular religious events, or quick-fix seminars. It is simply the preaching of Christ and Him crucified. When we know the depth of our sin and we catch a glimpse of God's mercy for us personally, when we understand electing love, when we understand a personal atonement for us, when we understand the certainty of it all, when we understand the glory of God's righteousness, His justification, when we know the power of God's individualized calling upon our hearts…in short, when we understand the cross, such a passion will be ignited that will never be extinguished. May God grant us such understanding and then such a passion!