Burning Coals
I have been working in my grandfather’s shop this past week. Just doing some basic upkeep projects. This is the week that is snowed and school was out for three days. With the temperature being in the teens, the first thing I would do is go into the shop and start a fire in my grandfather’s wood stove to generate some heat before I began to work.
As the wood burned down and sometimes almost burned out, it was amazing to go back to the stove and feel the heat still being put off from the coals buried under the ash. It didn’t look like anything was going on just by peaking in the stove. Everything was white ash. But as I used the fire poker to stir the underlying coals, red ambers began to glow and fire immediately sprang forth from the coals as soon as they were exposed to fresh air. They had been buried and cut off from the flow of fresh oxygen. But once stirred and the breath of life was given, fire emerged from what looked dead.
I thought of our church. We are a burning coals that have been simmering for some years now. Everything has seemed quiet, giving off some heat, providing essential needs, but for the most part waiting to be stirred. God is sitting at the door waiting to stir the underlying coals that still have life. At the right time when He gets ready to refuel to fire, He will stir the coals and bring fresh air (New Life/Holy Spirit) to coals that have been simmering and fire will be seen again. God is ready and I believe we are as well! Let’s get ready for fire!
