When I woke up this morning, 40 degrees outside, beautiful view out the glass doors to the patio, I decided that all I needed was a roaring fire! That would make the perfect setting for my morning time with the Lord. Let me ask you something...
Do you know how hard it is to get a fire going? It may seem a whole lot easier when its a wildfire in the forrest, a house fire...one that's destructive, but try getting one started in the fireplace when all you've done for the past 15 years is push a button and...viola!
Let me tell you, it takes a ton of work! After 45 minutes of me vs. the fire...I have a sustained fire. Not a roaring fire mind you, but it seems to be holding heat ;)
I know, all you boy scouts out there are not impressed. Some of you build a fire weekly and it takes you 10% of the time that it took me. Actually, that's the point. As a chid I remember starting fires at my granddaddy's house almost every time we went. The fire would get so hot, when you'd sit next to it your shirt would start to feel like it was on fire! It was raging! I know what to do...I've done it before...but I've gotten out of practice. I've forgotten. Oh, I pulled it off, but barely. It took a long time to remember and apply. Many ups downs (a newspaper and half a roll of paper towels).
As I begin this week, I needed to struggle with this fire. I've had a push button routine in my faith for so long, I find the grind of getting to the deep things of God harder than I remember. You know what I mean? I think we sometimes (maybe its just me) get discouraged when the raging fire that we remember in our spirit doesn't ignite so quickly. Maybe we're tempted to go back to the push button day to day routine of our faith. DON'T! That push button faith is convenient. It is easy. It's clean. It also doesn't put out a ton of heat.
But that's not the Messy Faith...the wildfire of life we've been called to! A our life in Christ is meant to ignite the world around us! Spread and heat up our life! It's meant to change the world, starting with those closest to it!
Many of us have forgotten that. We've gotten complacent in our walk. Hurried in our prayer life. Discouraged by the disappointments of trying to start the fire...and our lives just aren't catching/sustaining the flame.
DON'T QUIT. DOUBLE YOUR EFFORTS. REMEMBER YOUR FIRST LOVE.
His promise is that He will help you!
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)
You and I can't quit! We need the heat that comes form walking with the Spirit. It's that life changing relationship that you and I were created for...but it won't come easy. We have to tend the fire. We have to burn anything we can put our hands on to ignite it...and once we ignite it, we have to pay attention to it or it will go out again.
Even as I've been writing, I've had to stop multiple times to tend the fire. I've added a log. Picked up the hottest pieces that fell from the center of the stack...Let me give you a little hope. Even though it's work, it's rewarding to tend the fire...to keep it going! When I look at it I am reminded and encouraged by its very existence!
How much MORE will we experience when the fire of our faith gets burning hot again!
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