As a child, I was always intrigued by fire.  I would find ways of getting my hands on matches just so I could strike them and see them burn.  One day, I hit the jackpot as found a lighter my parents set aside for lighting candles on our birthday cakes.  One day, around the age of 5 or 6, I decided I wanted to see a bigger flame so grabbed the Sunday Funny Paper to make myself a torch.  Standing in my parent’s room (where I got the paper), I rolled it up, lit it, and let it burn while holding it over a trashcan (thank the Lord for a small amount of common sense).  Seconds later multiple pieces burned off (still lit) and fell into the can.  No harm, no foul.  Then a few more fell but missed the intended target, slowly blew through the air, and fell onto the light colored carpet in their bedroom.  I got more than I bargained for as I watched the carpet begin burning.  I knew I had to get the fire out so I began to stomp it with my shoes.  Then, another piece broke off the paper as I stomped that one too.  It probably took me about a minute to get it all under control but it felt like an eternity.  I knew I was about to get in big trouble (and I did), but there was still this little part of me that enjoyed watching it burn.

I guess I’m a pyromaniac because I still like fire–but I like a different type of fire these days.  Not long after my carpet burning incident (maybe a year or two later) I gave my heart to Christ.  That day, a fire started to burn that has continued all these years later.  Eventually, if left unattended, it will burn out without the proper materials to stoke it.  The same can be said of our spiritual lives.  If we’re not tending to our fire, it will burn out.  What does our fire, our walk with God, look like today?  Are the flames burning brightly?  Or have they been reduced to a pile of ash with the occasional ember?  In the Old Testament, when a sin was committed, there was a requirement for a specific type of sacrifice be brought before the priest.  He would burn the sacrifice on the altar and stand as representative before God.   Leviticus 6 finds God instructing Moses on the importance of the fire for the sacrifice.  Verse 13 states, “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.  Thankfully, Christ’s atoning work on the cross took away the requirement for animal sacrifices to be made as He, the Lamb, was the ultimate sacrifice.  This made it possible for us to go directly to God through His Son to ask for forgiveness for ourselves.  But now it is our responsibility to keep our own fire burning.  That fire, via the work of the Holy Spirit, is necessary to keep sin burned from our lives.  What does your fire look like today?

Closing remarks and encouragement:  While it’s important to keep most fires contained, the fire we carry as believers should be spread wherever we go and to everyone we come in contact with.  People should sense conviction for their sins simply because of the presence of God we carry with us (though, make no mistake, it’s not our job to point fingers at them).  We must make a conscious effort to keep those fires burning.  So, my fellow pyromaniacs, grab some wood and let’s, “…burn, baby, burn!!!”

Have a blessed week, my friends!