Tim Outlaw
The Passion Hot Dog
Years ago, I was at the Passion Conference in Atlanta, GA. There were 45,000 there to worship Jesus, to know Him better and seek Him. The best speakers and worship leaders from around the world. John Piper, Louie Giglio, Francis Chan, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and so many more. And the way God spoke to me the loudest was through a hot dog. I’m completely serious.
Here’s what happened, I had already traveled from Texas to Georgia. I also lost a lot of sleep for this conference. One evening there at 9pm it was time for small groups, but I hadn’t eaten since 1pm. I’m very hungry! I noticed a little hotdog stand so I diverted my course I went out of my way, for a hot dog. Then I had to wait in line for the hotdog, then I had to wait in another line to pay for the hot dog, so I waited patiently about 30 minutes in all. Then they told me that will be $6! FOR A HOTDOG!!! I already waited 30 minutes for the hotdog, so then I gave up $6 for the hotdog. Then I ate the hot dog, and it was the BEST HOTDOG I’VE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!
Fast forward to the last day of Passion, we were there singing and worshipping, and I was thinking about this hot dog, I know how this sounds stay with me I’m getting to a point. Maybe I was thinking about it because I was hungry again.
In all seriousness whether it be Passion or any big Christian event I feel closer to God and get a kind of spiritual high, a feeling of closeness to God and renewed vigor to follow Him. So because of this I ask myself why? What’s different here that I feel closer to God and I compared it to this hot dog. You see I changed my priorities for the hot dog, I went out of my way for this hot dog, I waited patiently for the hotdog, I gave up money for the hot dog and in the end, I was extremely satisfied with what I received!
Passion was similar I changed my priorities and took a week to go to Atlanta, I gave up sleep consistently in the time there, I sacrificed money and had to pay for outrageous things like $6 hotdogs, I waited patiently (we were constantly in lines), I gave up food (sometimes missed a meal) all of this TO SEEK JESUS!!! And I would say that Jesus always satisfies!!!
Let me be clear on this too, there are some things that just don’t satisfy. If you were running a marathon and everyone’s handing water out and someone hands you a cup of salty ocean water, you would not be satisfied!
With Jesus it’s more satisfying when you go all out to seek Him because you get MORE of Him! I think we’re often bored or complacent in our walks with Christ because we barely make an effort to seek Jesus.
So because of this hot dog, I journaled that day, “Seek out Jesus, heart, and soul! Give up sleep, give up money, give up a meal, change your priorities, go out of your way, wait patiently TO SEEK JESUS! Repeat Daily”
Let me tell you more specifically what that mean to me.
Give up sleep: wake up early or go to bed late.
Give up money: help a friend or support a cause, when it hurts.
Give up a meal: give up a meal and spend that time with Jesus.
Change your priorities: In the midst of your day stop doing the really important thing to spend time with Jesus.
Go out of your way: physically go somewhere to be with Jesus that’s not your bedroom like the park, outside, or a coffee shop.
Wait patiently: spending time in silence listening.
I want to make sure we all understand doing things out of the ordinary is to seek Jesus
IS BIBLICAL!!!
Here are some Biblical examples of seeking Jesus.
In Mark 1:40 A man with leprosy came and begged Jesus, make me clean!
When’s the last time you got on your knees and begged Jesus?
Mark 2:4-5 Guys dig through a roof and lower a paralyzed man to get to Jesus.
Have you ever had a friend that needed Jesus so bad, you not only thought breaking and entering was a good idea, but you went mission impossible on it and torn a hole open in the roof lowered someone into the place? Go out of your way to get your friends to Jesus
Mark 6:53-56 Jesus left the crowd to get some rest. The crowd recognized Him and ran ahead to meet Him. Again, people begged Jesus and here we see they went where Jesus was, they ran to him in fact!
Mark 10:46-48. Blind Bartimaeus calls to Jesus in a crowd and people rebuked him and told him to be quiet. He called all the more!
Matthew 4:18-20 Peter, and Andrew gave up their jobs, their lifestyle to follow Jesus.
I wonder how many reading this would quit their career to follow Jesus? That calling isn’t for everyone. But I do believe that point is valid and a call for many to give up your job because God’s got a better one for you over here.
I don’t know about you but from what we read I see a difference in the way they seek Jesus and the way we do today. I know Jesus was walking in a physical flesh and blood sort of way here but does that mean we seek him less today? ABSOLUTELY NOT! My God is as alive today as he was then, I know it with all my heart.
Why did they do this to seek Jesus?
The same reason the called Karl Malone the mailman, he always delivers.
Seek out Jesus, heart, and soul! Give up sleep, give up money, give up a meal, change your priorities, go out of your way, wait patiently TO SEEK JESUS! Repeat daily.”
