Sometimes its good for the soul to visit a memory stone. I was thinking about this blog the other day and although I haven't posted anything in years, I thought I'd revive it. I'll be reading my blog and if I see something that I think is meaningful I'll tweak it a bit and post it again.
Condensed & Tweaked from November 12, 2009
It's true that GOD ignited a doused fire pit. He did so with Elijah in 1 Kings 18:`16-46. HE can do it again, today with us! We first need to prepare our hearts for His fire. A lightening bolt might start a fire but the best fires provide a steady source of heat. I believe that the supernatural parallels of the natural world. Building a campfire in the natural world carries with it a deeper meaning.
Location: If we consider that a campfire pit is a place to gather family and friends, tell stories and enjoy one an other's company, eat and warm yourself, then the location of a fire needs to be in a safe place. It should be free of trees, brush, and tall grass. Are we separated enough from the world? Have we found that safe place? Are we really ready for the fire?
Gathering materials and setting stones: We would outline our chosen site with brick or stones to protect the fire. Protect a fire? Yes, lest it burn uncontrollably and burn out too fast or be in a spot where it wouldn't burn at all. Spiritually, have we gathered our blessings and promises from GOD? Have we searched the Word of God? Have we found the foundational stones and prepared a space neither too large or too small?
Dig a trench: In the natural world if building a substantial campfire, we would dig a trench in the middle of the site to keep it from flickering through the rocks and becoming unmanageable. Do we go off flickering self-righteousness toward others and set other fires? It's sad but true that many times we can be quicker to condemn than to love. We need to dig a trench in our hearts in order to contain sarcasm, poor attitudes, and unrealistic expectations concerning others.
Make it level: After digging the trench, we would scrape the bottom and pour pea gravel into the pit to level it and smooth it out to help with drainage. Ouch! did you get that? Scrape the bottom of your heart? You have to get serious to do this spiritually. As we scrape away old offenses we free our hearts to love others and to be loved. As long as old offenses are there (starting as early as childhood), we will not have a healthy fire. We must get rid of hardened scabs. No one can do this for us, we can only do this for ourselves. We prepare for proper drainage when the rains will come but instead of accumulating in a huge puddle the storm waters will slip right through the gravels. These rocks represent scripture promises that won't be washed away but will filter and allow the pain and sorrow to escape our campfire site.
Add sand: This is interesting. We don't often think about anything becoming a problem underneath us, but the sand is to act as fire prevention so that fire can't spread to the roots under the pit. This is another case where we are so closely knitted to others that some of them may be damaged from the fire because they are so close to us. This is usually our immediate family and generally are the tender roots of children. We become impatient and cross to the point of harm. It's not the HOLY SPIRIT fire but a false fire that burns within us! We need to protect others from our false fire so that none will be destroyed by our lack of preparation. The sand represents the flow of protection that comes when we study scripture and truly begin to want the best for others. We don't want any harm to come to our loved ones. The grains of sand are many. These are scriptures where spiritual concepts are mastered.
Build the fire: Last, we gather the kindling and wood and build the fire. We build the fire in the natural, but our prayers are the kindling and the wood so that the HOLY SPIRIT may light the fire in the supernatural. Let the fire burn within each of us. May it give off enough light that others desire it for themselves so that they may realize it is of GOD. May it give off enough heat that cold hearts would melt and be filled with the true love of our Savior. May we continue to pray and invite others to be warmed by the fire and immersed in the light.
As a final note, the lining of the large stones, the mid sized stones and the grains of sand are all natural elements in the building of a campfire pit. In the spiritual, all these natural elements represent scripture. The different sizes of stone represent our level of study and commitment to understand. We may have remembered scripture and those would be the largest stones of faith that surround our fire. Faith is what holds it all in place.
Prepare for the fire of the HOLY SPIRIT to ignite within you that you might be a light in the darkness...
Heavenly Father, Teach us to prepare our lives in such a way that we are always ready, willing and able to carry the fire of your presence with us where ever we go. Help us to remember to pray. Give us faith and favor when we are weak and struggling that we may not hinder others from your love and power. In Jesus name. Amen
Dig a trench: In the natural world if building a substantial campfire, we would dig a trench in the middle of the site to keep it from flickering through the rocks and becoming unmanageable. Do we go off flickering self-righteousness toward others and set other fires? It's sad but true that many times we can be quicker to condemn than to love. We need to dig a trench in our hearts in order to contain sarcasm, poor attitudes, and unrealistic expectations concerning others.
Make it level: After digging the trench, we would scrape the bottom and pour pea gravel into the pit to level it and smooth it out to help with drainage. Ouch! did you get that? Scrape the bottom of your heart? You have to get serious to do this spiritually. As we scrape away old offenses we free our hearts to love others and to be loved. As long as old offenses are there (starting as early as childhood), we will not have a healthy fire. We must get rid of hardened scabs. No one can do this for us, we can only do this for ourselves. We prepare for proper drainage when the rains will come but instead of accumulating in a huge puddle the storm waters will slip right through the gravels. These rocks represent scripture promises that won't be washed away but will filter and allow the pain and sorrow to escape our campfire site.
Add sand: This is interesting. We don't often think about anything becoming a problem underneath us, but the sand is to act as fire prevention so that fire can't spread to the roots under the pit. This is another case where we are so closely knitted to others that some of them may be damaged from the fire because they are so close to us. This is usually our immediate family and generally are the tender roots of children. We become impatient and cross to the point of harm. It's not the HOLY SPIRIT fire but a false fire that burns within us! We need to protect others from our false fire so that none will be destroyed by our lack of preparation. The sand represents the flow of protection that comes when we study scripture and truly begin to want the best for others. We don't want any harm to come to our loved ones. The grains of sand are many. These are scriptures where spiritual concepts are mastered.
Build the fire: Last, we gather the kindling and wood and build the fire. We build the fire in the natural, but our prayers are the kindling and the wood so that the HOLY SPIRIT may light the fire in the supernatural. Let the fire burn within each of us. May it give off enough light that others desire it for themselves so that they may realize it is of GOD. May it give off enough heat that cold hearts would melt and be filled with the true love of our Savior. May we continue to pray and invite others to be warmed by the fire and immersed in the light.
As a final note, the lining of the large stones, the mid sized stones and the grains of sand are all natural elements in the building of a campfire pit. In the spiritual, all these natural elements represent scripture. The different sizes of stone represent our level of study and commitment to understand. We may have remembered scripture and those would be the largest stones of faith that surround our fire. Faith is what holds it all in place.
Prepare for the fire of the HOLY SPIRIT to ignite within you that you might be a light in the darkness...
Heavenly Father, Teach us to prepare our lives in such a way that we are always ready, willing and able to carry the fire of your presence with us where ever we go. Help us to remember to pray. Give us faith and favor when we are weak and struggling that we may not hinder others from your love and power. In Jesus name. Amen
