Starting A Fire and Keeping It Going

I love survival shows. One of my favorite shows in this genre is Dual Survival. One of the guys on that show is a bare-footed fella named Cody Lundin. And the dude can start a fire from anything and with anything in about any climate. Here is a sample:

I, on the other hand, can barely start a fire using a lighter and a propane tank. Therefore, I stand in awe as I see these dudes take the strangest components and from them create fire and then sustain the fire.

But I’m even more astounded at the way in which the Lord can create a spark of grace in a heart and fan such a spark into flame.

There has been times when these survivalists have failed to create a fire and they had to spend a cold night. There have been times when they got a spark going but they were unable to sustain it. The environment was too tough. The winds were blowing too hard, the conditions were too unfavorable. And the fire never happened.

The Lord, however, is able to take a heart of stone and from that create a new heart—one that is engulfed in the flames of passionate worship. And he can keep but the weakest spark going, even in the midst of a world that tries to blow out sparks of grace. He keeps the flame going while all the minions of hell try to stomp it out. Furthermore, even through our own weakness—we are still but dust—he keeps the fire going.

Be encouraged by this, brothers and sisters. Let these words of John Newton stir your heart to worship:

It is a mighty manifestation of his grace indeed, when it can live, and act, and conquer in such hearts as ours; when, in defiance of an evil nature and an evil world, and all the force and subtlety of Satan, a weak worm is upheld, and enable not only to climb, but to thresh the mountains; when a small spark is preserved through storms and floods.

God can maintain the spark of grace he created—no matter the climate! Rejoice!