Tinder in His Hand
By Laura Bagby

As we stoke the fires to fend off the chill of an autumn night, I am reminded of the power of death.

Yes, that's right.

What we see sitting around the campfire or at home cozy by the fireplace is to the natural eye no more than a billowing, pulsating mass of orange flame. But in my mind's eye I sense something more, a spiritual overtone.

You see, what we are really seeing is the result of death.

You can't start a fire with wet wood, because it will never light. And you can try unseasoned wood, but it will smoke so bad you will soon be wheezing.

No. If you know what you are doing, you pick the driest, best-seasoned stock you can find. This stuff is deader than dead.

That's what makes the fire burn.

And so it is with our spiritual lives. How can God shine His light through us before all men, if our will is still kicking and screaming, 'Me, me, me?!' Only after we essentially die to our own dreams can God place His spark of His plan and ignite our inner man with power, with peace, with joy, with His ultimate will.

To us who are dying to our dreams, dying to our whims, our will, our ways, our passions, our routines, it may look like God is through with us. He has abandoned us for some other project. We hurt and He doesn't seem to be listening.

I have said it myself, 'Well, that's it. I am no longer any use to the Lord. I am tired; I am broken. I don't know what I want to do and I can't seem to do it anyway. I missed the way. I lost the skills. I lost my popularity. '

Whatever it is that you have lost when you got serious about God, know that God is not through with you yet. You are on the precipice of greater things. You are being refined.

And yes, brothers and sisters, soon it will be your day to burn. But unlike the past, you will not burn out.

Just as the flame of the Most Holy God as He appeared within the burning bush in the story of Moses never actually burned the bush, so the Spirit of God shall ignite you, and you will not grow weary for your source of strength is the Lord alone. What others will see is not the bush, but the incredible, everlasting flame of God's glory.

But first comes death. It is necessary, believe me, but you will be amazed at the results. For it is the deadest, driest wood that causes a fire to burn. Nothing is impossible with God.

cbn