We think of fire as something to be avoided. It’s hot, leaves charred wood behind, and seems to destroy everything.
Yet, we use fire constructively every day. Flames leap to life in our gas furnaces, heating our homes. We burn fuels at massive power plants to create electricity. Even our cars move by fire, each spark plug sending out a bit of flame to ignite the gasoline under pressure in each cylinder.
But would we ever jump into the flames? Is that even logical?
We talk of burning with love. Sunsets burn with brilliant colors. We burn through projects to get them finished. Poetry burns brightly in our breast.
Then there’s this one, found in Acts 2:3-4:
“And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Let’s jump into the fire of the Spirit. In these flames is where we want to be, to burn with passion for the Lord, and to carry the fire of his love to all mankind.
Romans 12:1 encourages us to do exactly that:
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Paul’s words tell us that walking with Christ involves giving up something. There are times it hurts and is difficult. We reach moments when the flames make us want to pull away.
1 Peter 2:9 tells us why we continue on:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
We’ve been called to reveal the magnificence of God to everyone around us. We’re admonished to live the fire of Christ’s mission on this earth. We’ve jumped into the flames knowingly and willingly, and what we get back is the intense richness of the pure love of our holy God.
Christianity isn’t logical. It’s doesn’t have to be. We burn with passion for our Lord, and everything else is seared away. Sin is destroyed, our desire for earthly things becomes a charred lump, and the only thing we can see before our eyes is the fire of Christ’s presence leading us to him.
When the fire is Christ, let’s jump in with both feet.
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Code: FGO.D.12.16b.vp.esv