Over the past few months, I’ve encouraged my husband to create a small fire pit in our backyard. As someone who enjoys camping, I love sitting on a cool night in front of a blazing campfire with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Tonight as we sat with family near the crackling flames (in the freshly completed fire pit), we reminded our children that the inherent power in fire evokes respect.
Praying for renewed spiritual vigor, referencing past powerful revivals, and asking God to change the hearts of the nations in which we live, we often use the term revival fire in Christian circles. Sometimes, though, I wonder if we really know what we’re asking for when we pray for the fire of God to rest on our lives.
To the priest, fire meant sacrifice. While we live under the New Testament promise of Jesus who is both our perfect priest and complete sacrifice, we must be careful not to lose sight of the fact that God was and always will be holy. Although He removed the veil, He didn’t change His nature (Psalm 102:27; Mark 15:37-39).
Responding to the holiness of God, however, does not make God any less tender and compassionate. If anything, knowing He’s worthy of reverence and respect makes His love for us even more evident. God, who has the power to sustain life and who holds jurisdiction over the soul as well as the body (Matthew 10:28), cared enough to offer up His life on our behalf. And He didn’t stop there. In spite of our frailty and brokenness (Psalm 78:38-39; 2 Corinthians 12:9) and knowing we will fail Him, He desires closeness with us. He sings songs of deliverance over our lives and hears the cries of our hearts (Psalm 69:33, 116:1).
God’s holiness continues to blaze.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Matthew 27:57-66
More:
Read 1 Corinthians 3:11-15 and 1 Peter 1:6-9 to see the connection between trials in our lives and the purifying fire of God. In what ways do trials produce holiness in us?
Next:
What does a life that burns strong for God look like? Is this your life? Why or why not?
roxanne robbins on September 27, 2011 at 3:57 am
Reading that God desires closeness with us, prompts me to think of Hebrews 7:19,
“For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.”
Believing that He offers us a better hope than anything or anyone else gives us a conduit to His presence.
regina franklin on September 27, 2011 at 2:23 pm
Roxanne,
A great reminder of the hope that stirs our hearts–it is His kindness and the promises of something longer-lasting than our desire that prompt us to reach for more of His presence.
bearpair on September 27, 2011 at 4:04 pm
So true, Regina! We also often forget that to pray for the revival fires to be rekindled means that the Holy Spirit needs to “begin in us”… Those wonderful, global prayers are great, but God has always begun His greatest works in the heart & life of a single person, allowing that “ignited” life to fan the flames of revival in others. Thanks for the good words!