In life, there’s got to be something that gets us up in the morning.

Other than coffee, that is.

It could be the duty of work or family.

It could be the need to do something.

It could be the requirements of life.

And those will get us up, those will motivate us, those will get us going, but only for a little bit.

In life, we need something to be passionate about. Something to really transform us, push us, pull us, something to live for.

And something to die for.

We see something happen to Paul today in Acts:

12When we heard this, we and the people there urged him not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ 14Since he would not be persuaded, we remained silent except to say, ‘The Lord’s will be done.’

Paul knew, the people knew that if he went to Jerusalem it was not going to end well.  He knew he would be bound, he knew things could get ugly.

But, he was motivated to do it.  He didn’t have to.  He wanted to.

He had something worth living for.

What?  Jesus.  Telling folks about Jesus.  Living for Jesus.  Loving for Jesus.

Showing all that he could meet the power of the transforming love of Jesus.

Paul was motivated by that through his life. It was what he lived for.

Today, what are you living for? What is the purpose of your life?  What motivates you?

Is it Jesus?  Or is it something else?  Everything else but Jesus will fade away.

Issues will fade.  Money will fade.  Duty will fade.

All this will fade away.

Jesus will not.

We all need something worth living for in our lives.

May it be nothing but Jesus.