For all my married life we have lived in homes with fireplaces, and all but one burned wood. In fact, our first home was a log house with a massive granite fireplace up the center, with a wood burning furnace in the basement. This furnace was not our primary source of heat, as we had a conventional furnace, but it was our preferred choice.
You know that when you choose to burn wood, there is preparation required to get that wood cut, stacked, and available for easy access. This we did when we lived in our log house, but for many years now we buy our wood already cut, and seasoned to burn. I miss that step of being so hands on, but I still get pleasure in stacking and handling the wood.
I realize that along with loving to tend a fire, I love starting it! So, the other night as I tended our nightly fire, I was conscious of my role to start and maintain that fire.
This morning I was meditating on how many of us are actually fire tenders. We may not be the one who actually put the match to the wood, but we are keen to keep it going. Truthfully, when you are a fire tender, you naturally look to see where there is a fire burning.
The other day I shared with some friends my thoughts on a fire that is burning in our nation. God is moving into the streets, to ignite people into a place of surrendered worship. Isn’t it just so God to take what the enemy has meant for evil, burning cities, and towns, and turn it to good? God’s burning is bringing in the lost, and it is bringing the body of Christ back to their first love! The One that loves them is causing a fire to burn deep in their souls.
It is this surrendered place of worship that is bringing repentance, forgiveness, salvation, healing, and redemption. These are people who are on fire for God, and who are experiencing true reconciliation back to the Father. What has not happened behind the walls of churches, is now happening in the open air. No restrictions, no denominational lines, just freedom to worship God in spirit, soul, and body.
We have truly witnessed people becoming God’s burning ones. This is the fire that we are to tend to faithfully, through the gifts of the Spirit, we keep the flame hot and roaring.
1 Timothy 4:11-12 Instruct and teach the people all that I’ve taught you. And don’t be intimidated by those who are older then you; simply be the example that they need to see by being faithful and true in all that you do. Speak the truth and live a life of purity and authentic love as you remain strong in your faith.