I woke up this morning, and the sky was breathtakingly beautiful. A clear golden tone rose above the horizon, and above that, a gradient flowed upwards. It’s really hard to describe in words, but it made me think of a fizzy citrus drink! It was peach, and pink and orange and yellow, and it seemed translucent, somehow. There were no clouds, and the reflected light lit up the freshly fallen snow with pastel colors. Each branch was outlined in color. My mental disappointment that it had snowed gave way to wonder at the sheer beauty of what I saw.
So where are the pictures? I know. I could just kick myself. My life has been so crazy that I was not able to get to a camera or a phone in time to take even one picture. But you all were out there today, right, and saw how beautiful it was? At least in this part of the world, it was still cold, but the sun was clear and bright, the sky was deep blue, and the sun melted the snow almost as soon as the light hit it.
But yesterday was different. Yesterday it looked like this winter was never going to end. It was solid gray, without so much as the outline of a cloud in the sky to assure you that somewhere there was an edge to this gray mass. There was light, but it’s the kind of light that makes you want to pull the curtains and then turn on all the lights inside the house. Even the light seemed cold, humorless, and dead.
But then a bright, living thing caught my eye: A fire!
Someone was burning something outside, and the contrast of that glorious light to the gray sky hit my eye like an electric spark, a shock, a resonant vibration. I’m trying really hard to explain what didn’t come through in words, but what felt like a download of hope. I was thrilled, absolutely attentive. I wasn’t looking for that fire, but at the moment I saw it, I realized that it was exactly what I needed, the remedy for this dark day. It spoke to me of warmth and passion; it’s voracious appetite demanded some kind of response from me, but I wasn’t sure what to do.
It might seem strange to speak about feeling like I needed to respond to a fire, but I just felt restless, like I was supposed to do something, and just didn’t know what. Then all of a sudden, I realized that God was showing me in clear visual terms what it is to suddenly see Him.
Moses first recognized God in the midst of a burning bush. The bush blazed with the fire, but not a leaf was singed. The bush was not consumed. We often think of fire as something belonging to the devil, but that is another thing he has deceived us about. Fire was created by God, and serves him. When the Lord led the children of Israel out of Egypt, he appeared as a pillar of fire during the night, as as a pillar of cloud during the day.
There it is again, that same theme of cloud and fire. But this was just a fire outside on a gray day, and was set by a person that was just doing what had to be done. I’m sure it was probably a routine to get rid of the garbage. And yet, it affected me. It felt like a beacon, a message, like in Lord of the Rings, when they light the signal fires.
Once the first fire is lit, then one by one, the answering fires light, and the predetermined message flows across the mountain. It goes out and it cannot be called back. I was feeling the need to answer the signal fire, and an answering fire lit inside of me. And my job was to tell you all about it, so you can light up, too.
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. . .The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty . . .the voice of the Lord divides [cuts out] the flames of fire. Psalm 29:2-7
I was moved to action by that glorious firelight that called out to me over the frozen expanse, and that same thing happens when a lost person sees the spirit of the living God in you or me. What starts the whole thing may not be a big deal to us; we may be just going through the motions of obedience, doing what needs to be done, without feeling particularly inspired about doing it.
But the key word is obedience. When we obey God, that is a form of worship. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) And what commandments are those? “Love God, and love your neighbor as yourself; this is the sum of the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37 – 40) And he told us the best way to love each other through his last commandment: “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel.” (Mark 16:15)
Your friends and neighbors, members of your own families, your co-workers, those wonderful people you look forward to being with every day, the ones you have cultivated friendships with over the years, do they know the truth of the gospel? Have you shared your own experience with them? If not, what holds you back?
Think of it this way: You have the power to show them to the One who can save their souls from the slow, agonizing death by sin. You can show them the path to life. You have the power to lead them out of darkness and into the glorious light! What holds you back? Your testimony, plus the blood of the Lamb will overcome any obstacle!
Maybe your faith has grown cold. Please don’t feel accused. It happens so easily, almost without our noticing. Jesus warned us that we needed to stay connected to the vine, or we would not bear fruit. We can’t do any of this by ourselves. Your will or your courage or your super reasoning ability isn’t going to save anyone. It’s futile to try that route, and most likely you will just end up offending. The Spirit of God must call out to a person before they can respond, (John 6:44) so remember that it’s not up to you. Only God can do that work in someone else’s heart.
Our job is to stay connected to Jesus, who connects us to the Father. That is where the wisdom and the power is found. He will inspire you to do what must be done. “If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love . . .this is my commandment that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:10 – 13)
If you have grown cold, turn back to the warmth, to the fire. Just run back to Jesus, and before you even finish the first step, he will be there, right in front of you. He promises that if we seek him with our whole heart, we will find him. (Jeremiah 29:13) Don’t stand out there and shiver. Don’t freeze to death! Come back and come in to Jesus’ arms where you will find love and and warmth, the kind that lasts forever.
And when you are warm again, when you are supple and responsive, and your blood flows freely and you can breathe, then you will understand what God wants you to do. Maybe he will lead you to bring someone a surprise, or call them up after a long absence. Maybe he will move you to pay for a stranger’s food, or pay for the person’s car wash behind you in line. Who knows what adventure he will send you on? But when you move in obedience to him, things will happen that are beyond your wildest imagination.
Consider this the lighting of a beacon fire. Fwump! I am lighting it here in your sight! Do you feel the light call out to you? Is there a beacon inside of you just waiting to be lit? This is it! It’s time! Light up your beacon fire and let it blaze!
Your beacon fire will light the way for someone else. Maybe it’ll be someone you don’t even know, or maybe you won’t know how your obedience to God will even work. But that’s OK. We don’t have to know. Our job is to obey, and then hang on for dear life, for the adventure is about to begin!
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” John4:24
The Fullers Four 