Keep the Fire Burning
Read: Romans 12:9-21
Be fervent in spirit. —Romans 12:11
Modern furnaces have taken the work out of keeping warm in cold climates. We simply set the timer on the thermostat, and the house is warm when we get up in the morning. But in former days, fire was carefully tended and fuel supplies were closely monitored. Running out could be deadly.
The same is true spiritually. If we think our “spiritual fire” can be ignited as easily as a modern furnace, we risk losing our fervor for the Lord.
In ancient Israel, the priests were instructed not to let the fire on the altar go out (Lev. 6:9,12-13). This required a lot of work, not the least of which was collecting firewood in a land not known for its dense forests.
Some scholars see the fire on the altar as a symbol for the flame of our devotion for the Lord. Spiritual passion is not something to be treated lightly or taken for granted. It will grow cold if we fail to keep it supplied with fuel.
The apostle Paul addressed the subject of spiritual fervor in his letter to the Romans (12:1-2,11). To keep the fire of our devotion burning strong, we must continue the hard work of stocking our fuel supply with hope, patience, steadfast prayer, generosity, hospitality, and humility (vv.11-16). — Julie Ackerman Link
Published in Our Daily Bread on 12 August 2007.
Prayer by Lionel Low, inspired by "Keep the Fire Burning"
According to what Julie Ackerman Link wrote, to keep the fire of our devotion burning strong, we must continue the hard work of stocking our spiritual fuel supply with:
- Hope
- Patience
- Steadfast prayer
- Generosity
- Hospitality
- Humility
Lord I know it's easy to become lukewarm, especially when we're facing and living with people who have no passion for You. With each day passing by, if we do not do anything, we may follow mainstream and get cold, forgetting what sparked our flame to glorious brightness in the first place.
It's never easy when it comes to handling relationships. Lord I thank You for the brothers and sisters around me who encourage me through this journey, people who have helped to fuel my passion. While I'm still walking through this life on earth Father, I pray that people around me may be blessed as well, and when I bring Your good news to them, by Your will I may be able to ignite their long dried heap of grass into a blazingly beautiful fire of burning passion for You.
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