Zealous in Grace

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righeousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 10:1-4

These people Paul is talking to have zeal but it is zeal for establishing their own righteousness. Paul's heart is for us to be zealous in the righteousness that comes from Christ.

As I thought about this, I realized that this zeal is zeal that is affected and driven by grace. Therefore it is a zeal that is humbled in the shadow of the cross. The cross demonstrates Christ's zeal in fighting for our hearts. This zeal led Him to lay his life down in sacrificial love. It was also God, the Father's zeal that led him to give up his Son for us and pour out the wrath we deserved on Him. God is a zealous Father, zealous in love for us to the point of giving Himself. Christ is a zealous Savior, laying down his life for us on the cross and now in heaven, zealously interceding and praying for us.
And so, as I pray for zeal to come alive in my heart, I have before me God and Christ as my example. I must be zealous in the grace that they provided for me. It is grace that was bought by their zealous love for me. Their zeal led them to lay down their lives and so I pray that, in light of grace, my zeal would follow their example.