the fire...

Here's the post I promised. It may be short and sweet, but it's good stuff, so I hope you learn something from it. Anyway, to start off with, I got the newest Sara Groves CD over the summer and one song that I particularly like is called Jeremiah. Here are the lyrics:

Jeremiah tell me about the fire / that burns up in your bones / I want to know / I want to know more now / The burning of ambition and desire / it never could come close / to that fire / to that fire // I was looking to myself / and I forgot the power of God / I was standing with a sparkler in my hand // While I stood so proud and profound / You came and burned this whole place down / Now that's a fire //chorus// I was caught up in this vice / and its power to entice / I was dwelling on my hopelessness and doubt // With the slightest invitation / You came with total detonation / Now that's a fire //chorus// I was warming my hands by this little light of mine / but now I know it's time / to come in from the cold / Fight fire with fire, fan the flame / come stir up these coals in my soul, in my soul / till it burns out of control //chorus// Jeremiah

Last week, as I mentioned before, Kathy spoke at Fusion and read a verse from Jeremiah that clarified the meaning of this song for me. Here's the verse:

Then I said "I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name." But His Word was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, and I could not.
Jeremiah 20:9

How awesome! When our own "fire" of self-ambition and desire burns out and we feel like our ministry is useless, GOD'S FIRE is still in our hearts pushing us onward! We don't do things on our own power. The fire that we think we have on our own is just a little sparkler in our hand compared to the awesome consuming fire of God. As the song says, we get caught up with ourselves and dwell on our "hopelessness and doubt" and forget that we don't need to rely on our own power. Then, along comes God "with total detonation" and just blows us away with His power to change any situation.

That's all I have to say about that. I was really encouraged by what I learned from that verse. CONTINUATION is tonight. I'm looking forward to it. Later.