I witnessed an example of “enthusiasm” today — passion, joy, and delight in life.
What is enthusiasm
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.
R. W. Emerson
Enthusiasm is the leaping lightning,
not to be measured by the horse-power of the understanding.
Enthusiasm first appeared in English in 1603 with the meaning “possession by a god.” The source of the word is the Greek enthousiasmos, which ultimately comes from the adjective entheos, “having the god within,” formed from en,“in, within,” and theos, “god.” Over time the meaning of enthusiasm became extended to “rapturous inspiration like that caused by a god” and eventually became “craze, excitement, strong liking for something.”
~American Heritage Dictionary
Interestingly, enthusiasm has at its root “the God within.”
High resolve and generous thought
Parent of genius, bright Enthusiasm!
~ S. Moodie
Bold nurse of high resolve and generous thought,
‘Tis to thy soul-awakening power we owe
The preacher’s eloquence, the painter’s skill,
The poet’s lay, the patriot’s noble zeal,
The warrior’s courage, and the sage’s lore.
Oh! till the soul is quickened by thy breath,
Wit, wisdom, eloquence, and beauty, fail
To make a just impression on the heart;
The tide of life creeps lazily along,
Soiled with the stains of earth, and man debased
Sinks far below the level of the stream.
Alas! that thy bright flame should be confined
To passion’s maddening vortex; and the soul
Waste all its glorious energies on earth!–
The world allows its votaries to feel
A glowing ardour, an intense delight,
On every subject but the one that lifts
The soul above its sensual, vain pursuits,
And elevates the mind and thoughts to God!
Zeal in a sacred cause alone is deemed
An aberration of our mental powers.
The sons of pleasure cannot bear that light
Of heavenly birth which penetrates the souls
Of men, who, deeply conscious of their guilt,
Mourn over their lost, degraded state, and seek,
Through faith in Christ’s atonement, to regain
The glorious liberty of sons of God!
Who, as redeemed, account it their chief joy
To praise and celebrate the wondrous love
That called them out of darkness into light,–
Severed the chain which bound them to the dust,
Unclosed the silent portals of the grave,
And gave Hope wings to soar again to heaven!–
To live in God is to live in wholeness in the creative,
joyful nature we have been created.
Whatever you are doing, work at it with enthusiasm,
Colossians 3:23 NET
as to the Lord and not for people
Let’s live en-theos … with great enthusiasm!
