For Father’s Day this year we got Lou a new gas grill. He was using it for the first time on our front porch (as he and Steven were doing some work to the deck). Well the hamburgers tasted so good that we all wanted a second one. So he went back out to cook another batch. Through the window I could see flames shooting up from the grill, which is expected sometimes from the grease. Everyone who cooks on a grill knows that the flames are hard to control sometimes. Well before too long a police car pulled up in front of our house and then a few more. Pretty soon there were five police cars and a fire truck. And of course the neighbors started arriving to see what was going on. Apparently, someone called the police and told them our house was on fire! Lou explained to the policemen that he had just got this new grill and was learning how to use it. Lou was embarrassed but the policeman laughed it off by asking Lou if he was cooking burgers for all of them since they were there.

This made me think of a message I heard one time on revival. The speaker said, “If you set a fire, people will come from all over to watch it burn!” How true that is! The neighbors sure came out to see what was going on at our house that day.

Now if we apply this to our spiritual fires then it would mean that people everywhere would know you are a Christian without having to say anything, like if you had a little flame hovering over your head just like the disciples did on the day of Pentecost. And people would also be drawn to you, to want to be with you, to watch your fire burn.

I’ll admit that I’ve watched my share of house fires. We used to go camping and would build a fire each night. I love to sit and watch a good fire burn; the flames are so mesmerizing. Some people have fireplaces in their homes because they like to watch the flames. As for me, I’d like to have a fireplace, but I’ll make do with candles. I hear they’re easier to clean up!

Yesterday was the Fourth of July and we had some fireworks leftover from last year that the kids wanted to set off. There were just some simple fireworks like sparklers. Well, Lance and Mandi came for dinner and they brought some more bigger fireworks and then Gary and Evan came by with even bigger fireworks.

Typically we go to Renzie Park to watch the city’s fireworks display but it had been raining and we thought the fireworks might be cancelled and we really didn’t feel like sitting in the wet grass. So instead we stayed home and set off our own fireworks display. We used the large cement area in front of the printing office where we were sure that we wouldn’t catch any grass on fire. The kids were way too excited to light the fuses and would light one right after another. It must have looked like our house was on fire again because some neighbors came by to watch. Every once in a while, the neighbors a few houses away would set off some huge ones that I know weren’t legal. But the kids would all run to the side of the house where they could get a good look. I will admit that I ran to the side of the house as well.

What is it that makes the kids want to light the fuses and set off the fireworks? Why are we so mesmerized by fire?

Fire has such power. It can be good and bad. Good, because it can provide heat and cook food. Bad because it can destroy buildings and towns and can even kill. Firemen will say that fire can look like it is alive because it has such power.

Can we harness that power for God?

Let’s remember to set our lives on fire for Jesus. Get yourself into the Word or listen to some good worship music. Spend some time in prayer. Then wait for others to come and watch us burn for Him! They will surely see that little flame of the Holy Spirit in your life!

Kris:kris: