“I lie in the dust; revive me by your word.” (Psalm 119:25 NLT)
We sometimes need to be reminded to keep the fire going. At other times we, believers, need to be confronted and challenged to keep the fire going. Sill, on occasion, discipline is needed to teach us the importance of keeping the fire going for our own sake and for the sake of others.
Do you remember the coal furnaces? We had one at our house on the eastside of town, located in an area where many of the old houses have been torn down and replaced by new dwellings that are occupied by a new and very different generation, from an economic perspective. In years past, with our parents working night, the chore of ensuring that the furnace fire did not go out fell upon my older brother and myself. To keep the fire burning in the furnace, located in an eerie, dark basement, we had to get up early and throw some more coal in the furnace to keep the fire from dying out. We alternated turns in carrying out this duty delegated by our father. At times, on those cold nights where you did not want to leave the warmth of your bed, preferring to stay under the covers to retain our own body heat and comfortability, we, while at least “I” let the fire go out. I can only tattle-tell on myself. When I arose, I was freezing, and my younger siblings had to be freezing, although they voiced no complaint or grievance. Nevertheless my neglect impacted me and my brothers and my sister. Thank God that father came to the rescue and got the fire going again.
However, needless to say, I was disciplined for not keeping the fire going, honestly on more than one occasions. So, if you have heard this story before, perhaps you need to hear it again and again to avoid the discipline of the heavenly Father: “Keep the fire going” as it relates to your faith and the works propelled by your faith and purposed by God. Get fired up by the word of God! Be revived by His word through the day and through the night, in other words in every awaken moment. Be like the Psalmist and find delight in God’s word. Get fired up! Fan in the flames, the spiritual gift God gave you. Renew your enthusiasm! Be revived! Read the opening and closing verses and you will know I am not just making up today’s admonishment. As we used to say in a repetitive chant at the high school pep rallies, “Let’s get fired up!” Have a great Friday! Lord willing, I’ll be in touch tomorrow, on Saturday before our Sabbath, the Lord’s Day. Count on it! Be blessed!
“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…” (I Timothy 6a NLT)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King