From Helps to Holy Living, by Charles E. Orr

Intensity

Here is intensity. By intensity we mean that burning passion of the soul after God. That intense desire to be holy as He is holy, and to glorify Him in all words and acts of life.

Here is intensity. Panting after the commandments of God like a thirsty animal for water. The great task of the overseers of God’s church today is to keep God’s people out of a careless, go-easy, indifferent life. How few thirst after God. How few thirst and hunger for the salvation of souls. Preachers may go over the country holding revivals and find entertainment and enjoyment in doing so, but even of those, how few have such a burning passion for souls that they will wrestle with God in the midnight hour or early morning hour or even any convenient time for the salvation of the lost. They may think more of what gain they will make. This would be an awful crime, but it may be one of which some are guilty. There are holiness people who act very much as if no one were going to hell. Others act as if they were just as holy as they cared to be. They seem to have no thirsting for greater perfection of life. They act as if there were no improvement to be made.

The need of today is a greater passion for goodness, a more intense longing for greater Christlikeness, and a greater burden for those for whom our dear Savior gave His life.

Here is intensity. When did you shed a tear over sinners lost? Do not these words shame you? Dear people, the house is on fire—how can you keep on sleeping?