Deuteronomy 6:5 - and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.
There's an interesting sequence of events leading up to Peter's denial of Christ. First, Jesus warned Peter that he was a target: "Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren" (Luke 22:31-32). Next we read that when the authorities came to arrest Christ, Peter "followed at a distance" (Luke 22:54 - They seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed from a distance. ). Notice, Peter had grown distant from Christ. Then the man who swore he'd die for Jesus denied knowing Him. At that point the rooster crowed, Peter remembered his promise to Jesus, and "went out, and wept bitterly" (Luke 22:55-62 - When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard, and had sat down together, Peter sat among them. 56A certain servant girl saw him as he sat in the light, and looking intently at him, said, "This man also was with him." 57He denied Jesus, saying, "Woman, I don't know him." 58After a little while someone else saw him, and said, "You also are one of them!" But Peter answered, "Man, I am not!" 59After about one hour passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Truly this man also was with him, for he is a Galilean!" 60But Peter said, "Man, I don't know what you are talking about!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61The Lord turned, and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the Lord's word, how he said to him, "Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times." 62He went out, and wept bitterly. ).
Observe how it works:
(a) You're unprepared for Satan's attack when it comes.
(b) You allow work and family pressures to cause you to forget that your first commitment must always be to God.
(c) You end up spiritually defeated. You say, "That will never happen to me." That's what Peter said! The reason "Satan has asked for you", is because he knows that when you become passionate about God's purposes, you're unstoppable. Indeed, the very desire that's burning within you right now is the fuel that enables you to withstand his attacks.
There's a reason the crucifixion has been referred to as 'The Passion'. The Bible says of Christ: "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). Even as He was dying, Jesus was ministering to others. That's passion!
So the Word for you today is, "Don't lose your passion for God."