Remembering My Mother’s Contagious Passion For the Lord
By ANNIE WESCHE
With a gentle ding from the bell above the door and a soft thud of footsteps coming down the stairs, another shopper had entered the basement consignment store to browse the latest inventory. As the woman began sliding hangers from right to left, the warm and familiar voice of the shop manager greeted her, “Hi, Megan! What are you looking for today?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t really need anything. I’ve just had a really hard day, and I always feel better when I come in here.”
“These things will never satisfy your heart, Megan, but Jesus will! May I pray with you about your hard day? We can tuck into this dressing room for privacy and take your burdens to Him.”
The woman’s eyes began to well with tears as a quick head nod invited the much-needed prayer.
Megan didn’t leave with an armful of clothes that day. The fleeting emotional high of shopping would have likely faded before she even got home. Instead she left with a heart full of peace and hope — and a growing knowledge of Jesus, the One she could turn to again and again for what her soul truly craved.
This sort of exchange was common for the shop manager. She carried a passion for Christ everywhere she went — from the privacy of home to the many public spheres she entered — always ready to share her enthusiasm for the Light of the World with everyone she encountered.
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That shop manager was my dear mum, Sunday. She’s with Jesus now and I still find it hard to believe she’s been gone from this earth for eight years — that her vibrant life won’t walk through the door of our home at any moment and spill over into mine. But she’s with her Beloved Savior and I would never wish her back to this fallen world, no matter how much I achingly miss her. And you know what? Her vibrant life does continue to spill into mine (and now yours, too)! In my memories of how she lived, my heart is encouraged — my soul challenged to cultivate a devotion to the Lord like she had. Her legacy was one of deep love for Jesus (which resulted in a sincere heart for people). And it’s a legacy that continues beyond her departure from this world.
Mum’s enthusiasm for the Lord was contagious — like sparks flying in a room setting other hungry hearts ablaze for Christ because of her passionate love for Him. She pursued having an undivided heart, and she continually sought to remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s conviction and ready to respond in obedience when He revealed her affections were divided. Just like you and I, she was a sinner, had hard days, experienced sorrow, and knew suffering in her life. But this made her enthusiasm for Christ all the more precious and beautiful. Because it was through her hard times or failures — when she chose repeatedly and humbly to turn to the Lord and His Word — that His grace met her and grew her. And it was His faithfulness, His mercy, His grace, His goodness, and His love that stoked the flames of her ever-growing passion for Him.
Fervor: hot, burning, intensity of spirit and feeling, enthusiasm
Enthusiasm: eagerness, lively pursuit, passionate interest, expressed ardent devotion
Growing up, I often heard my mum say, “Be enthusiastic about the things of God!” It was her way of paraphrasing one of her favorite verses: Romans 12:11. The NIV translation reads, “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” There are many ways I saw this lived out in Mum’s life, but I want to share with you just a few that were central.
Enthusiasm for His Word
Countless mornings I would wake to find Mum in the living room with her well-marked Bible open on her lap, feasting on the “food” her soul needed for the day ahead. Her Bibles are now beautiful keepsakes for me. Every handwritten prayer, note, underline, highlight, sketched heart, and exclamation point showing her journey of digging into, praying through, submitting to, rejoicing in, and treasuring the words of her God.
She would often ask others, “What Bible verse are you memorizing?” And if you didn’t have an answer, she’d encourage you to pick one and get started on it that very day. And if you told her you weren’t very good at memorizing, her eyes would light up and she’d quickly say with a smile, “Nonsense! What’s your address? What’s your phone number? What’s your favorite song?”
God has written Himself into words that we can hold in our hands, read with our eyes, and build our life upon. Words of Life that reveal His heart to us. Words that can expose and transform our own heart. Words that can keep us from sinning and deliver us from strongholds. Words that heal and restore, comfort and give courage, instruct and provide wisdom. Words that supply us with an unshakable hope and peace that surpasses all understanding. Words that bring us right into His throne room of grace so that we might truly know Him!
What greater words exist to treasure, hide within our heart, and have at the ready for all of life’s varied seasons and needs? Ask God to grow your enthusiasm for His Word. But no passion grows without knowledge, pursuit, or consistent engagement — so faithfully get into His Word and allow His Word to get into you.
Enthusiasm for Prayer
Those who knew my mum likely experienced a moment when she took their hand and said, “Let’s pray!” And before they could reply, she’d already begun speaking with Jesus. She would pray in dressing rooms, elevators, cars, parking lots, church pews, hallways, living rooms, airplanes … anywhere. She knew, as a child of God, that she could draw near to His throne at anytime, with boldness! (See Hebrews 4:16.)
I witnessed Mum’s enthusiasm for prayer come from three things:
— Prayer grew her intimacy with the Lord. Mum spoke with the Lord more than she spoke with anyone else and that frequency of communication (coupled with her ever-growing knowledge of the One she was praying to by her time spent in His Word) continually deepened her intimacy with God. She poured out her heart to the One who knew her completely and she found refuge in His presence, grace, acceptance, mercy, and love. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (Jas. 4:8).
— Prayer changed her. She would enter prayer with anxiety and come out with peace. She would enter prayer with need and come out with faith. She would enter prayer with hurt and come out with forgiveness. She would enter prayer with pride and come out with humility. She would enter prayer with uncertainty and come out with wisdom. She would enter prayer with weariness and come out with strength. She would enter prayer with sadness and come out with joy. Even when the change wasn’t immediate, she persevered in prayer knowing that God alone had what she needed — and she had faith that He would give it!
— God answered her prayers. No, not always how she wanted or was expecting, and there were prayers she earnestly prayed that have yet to be fully answered. But she also beheld God’s mighty power and experienced His countless tender graces in direct answer to her prayers throughout her lifetime — both for herself and those for whom she prayed.
Earthly kings of old used to hold court to grant their subjects the opportunity to bring petitions and complaints before them. Imagine waiting in a long line of villagers to have the ear of the king. You hoped he would not be wearied by the time your turn arrived, that he would have mercy on your petition and answer favorably, and that his courts wouldn’t close before you had your chance to speak with him.
But friends! This very moment, the KING of all kings bids you to approach His throne with confidence — He commands you, welcomes you, and waits for you! His courts are always open for you to enter. He is never spread thin, and He is able to give you His full attention. He is waiting for you to come and pour out your praise, worship, adoration, repentance, grief, needs, longings, hopes, requests … and He is waiting for your full attention, too, so that He may minister to your every need.
Oh, that we would be praying women — not simply going through the motions in order to check off one aspect of the Christian life, but those whose hearts burn with a passion for prayer and who know the One to whom they pray!
Enthusiasm for Godliness
When I was a young teenager, my mum took my hand and led me out of a movie theater because something on the screen was dishonoring to the Lord. She went directly to the ticket counter, asked for her money back, and unashamedly told them why. It was an uncomfortable experience for me at first, but it met my young, impressionable heart (that was already convicted by what we had seen on the screen) with the action and godly example my soul needed.
Over the years, there were many moments when Mum took a stand for righteousness. And I watched her passion for honoring the Lord at times bring mistreatment, the loss of friendships, and painful rejection. She was told that she was “too radical,” “too convicting to be around,” and that her standards were “too high.” But when she remembered the Friend who had laid down His very life for her, there was no sacrifice too great to make for Him! And for any rejection she may have experienced, there were far more instances of her set-apartness having a life-changing influence on others (myself included).
All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12
Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness … godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promises for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:7–8 NASB95
Walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own Kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12 NASB95
Are there “theaters” in your life that you need to walk out of? Is there entertainment you are indulging in that glorifies the very things for which Christ died? Are there influences, habits, or affections that are in direct opposition to your obedience and devotion to Christ Jesus and dimming your spiritual fervor? If so, these things are not worth clinging to. But Jesus is worth any sacrifice we make for Him! And any seeming “loss” made for His sake is tremendous gain for our soul.
Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created … Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Revelation 4:11, 5:12
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It’s rather easy to find out what people are enthusiastic about or devoted to — simply look at where they invest their life, spend their time and money, what they speak about, and what they get excited over. The wellness expert who is continually promoting the latest thing that transformed their health. The sports fan who is always talking or posting about game plays. The fashion influencer whose social feed offers an endless scroll of the latest styles. The bookworm who can’t help but tell you about their new favorite read. The newly engaged woman who glows as she talks about her fiancé and their unfolding wedding plans. The evangelist who is always weaving the Gospel into every conversation. The pro-life advocate who tirelessly champions the preciousness of the unborn. The joyful woman whose face lights up whenever she speaks about Jesus.
So, what would this world say you are enthusiastic about? What or who would they say you love? And is it what you want to be your lasting legacy on this earth? With my mum, there was no doubt. She was enthusiastic about the things of God and ablaze in her love for Jesus. And, even in death, her life continues to point to Him, the only One who is worthy of all our love, devotion, and enthusiasm!
This article was originally published in Issue 50.
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