TO BUILD A FIRE

We have lived in various places over the years and have chosen and were able to burn wood as a heat source in most all of those places. We learned early on that good fires require good wood. Trying to get a fire going with bad wood usually means it is green or wet and it will just smoke and smolder and you will freeze your tail off. The only heat is the heat we generate trying to get lousy wood to burn.

The principle is true in many other fire-building attempts. Hoping to get a fire going in our personal disciplines, marriages, with our kids, relationships, our businesses, churches, jobs, schools, projects and programs has little chance with wet wood. Trying to get a fire going with the wet wood of anger, unforgiveness, pride, unbelief, politics, comparison, selfish ambition, jealousy, conspiracy, resentment, secrecy, bitterness, a critical spirit, legalism, a religious spirit, being right and perfect are just smoke screens without blaze or heat. It just smolders and smokes without much flame. Wet wood will leave us cold and miserable. To get good fire…get good wood. Get rid of bad wood. It’s that simple.

“There is no better wood for feeding the fire of God’s love than the wood of the Cross.” St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Mathew 3:11)

“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” Jesus