Come on Lord, Light my Fire

Ever since it’s discovering to man, fire has become an invaluable resource. We use it to cook our food and heat our homes and sometimes to even rid ourselves of excess garbage (burning dead leaves, etc. )

We also use fire as an expression meaning an all consuming feeling that doesn’t seem to be able to be contained. For example, when you “carry a torch” for someone, it implies feelings for someone that cannot seem to go away. Your old “flame” is someone that “burned” a hole in your memory or heart so bad that you can’t seem to forget him/her.

Men have even sung songs about fire. Songs like “Fire” by the Ohio Players and “Light My Fire” by Jose Feliciano, both describe feelings that one person has for another. The first song describes the lust that an individual feels by the trivial actions of another (The way you walk and talk really sets me off”). The latter song perhaps describes a deeper connection between a man and woman (…If I was to say to you, girl we couldn’t get much higher”). Both of these songs have become classics in their own right. In fact, there were so many song titles about fire, at least over 1000 songs talking about the subject fire. Wow! Fire has really impacted our lives! Without it’s discovery where would we be? What would these artists have sung about? The questions could be endless.

But did you also know fire also gets rid of impurities, bacteria and other unwanted material? The higher the temperature of cooked foods, the more bacteria free it becomes. Long time ago, when women birthed babies in their homes, midwives would shout to anyone standing nearby to boil water. Why? The reason is that the water now becomes sterile enough to use.

If you add time (lots of it), pressure and fire to a rock called a Kimberlite, a diamond is formed after removing the rock’s impurities. Wow! That’s deep!

When I searched the Bible for a scripture that related to fire, there were so many to choose from, but, the one I chose to emphasize was 1 Peter 1:7.

“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

Although, we often think that being under fire (pressure) is negative, it can be a very positive thing. Once we go through those pressures and come out of it tested tried and true, those very unwanted pressures can increase our faith. Then we are ready to go out there and be a witness to others by saying, “Look what God has done for me. If He did it for me, He can do it for you” That becomes a testimony to God that can edify or build up other people’s faith. You never know where this blessing can lead. It can have a ripple effect whereas that person blesses others with their testimony and so on and so on. All of this possibly came about because of the trying of your faith by fire. God took a “rock” and with time and fire (pressure) created a diamond.

I have always considered myself a “diamond in the rough”.

Lord; continue to light my fire – not the fire that the world speaks of (no offence to those fine artists and their songs). Lord, when I go through these trials, I pray, don’t take me out of them, but take me through them, knowing that when I come through, I will be that much stronger and better because of those trials. Lord, please continue to send the Holy Spirit to blow through me like a mighty rushing wind so that my fire will spread and ignite others.

Come on Lord, Light My Fire!