We had our furnace replaced today, which meant we had no heat, which meant the house was cold. To combat the chill, I built a fire in our fireplace. I then camped out in front of it for the afternoon, stirring it, adding logs and keeping the blaze going. That small fire transformed the family room from cold to cozy.
As I watched the fire, its red, yellow and orange flames consuming the wood, I was reminded of how God gives us His Holy Spirit to consume our hearts with His love. Let’s face it: we are often cold individuals. Frequently our hearts have been hardened by sin and only the fire of the Holy Spirit burning within us can melt our meanness and sanctify us from our sin.
The flames of the Spirit purify us from our sin and transform us into servants of our Lord. But we cannot take the Spirit of the Lord for granted. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” Spiritually we have to keep the fire of the Spirit burning with Scripture reading, sacraments, worship and prayer. We have to throw the logs of our sin into the flames. We have to keep the blaze going with acts of obedience and stir the fire with prayers asking Christ to continue to purify our hearts and soul for service to God. We have to let the embers of devotion for our Savior grow hot so we can warm the world with God’s endless love.
Paul reminds us, “Be on fire with the Spirit. Serve the Lord” (Romans 12:11 ISV).
Denise Larson Cooper has a passion for Christ and sharing His Word. A wife and mother of two daughters, Denise currently works as a gymnastic coach.
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Godnesia: Keeping God in Mind Each Day http://amzn.to/2GSquOD
Ordinary Days With an Extraordinary Savior – http://amzn.to/2mFGASBLife Is a Metaphor: Recognizing God in the Everyday – http://amzn.to/2De1rU2