The Spirit's Flame

Recently our boys were playing at friends' house and they took some ashes from their fire pit and were dumping them here or there and unbeknown to them the ashes were still smoldering. We quickly put a stop to this and explained to them that when ashes are still smoking there is still a potential for a fire. If we hadn't noticed them doing this it could have been a dangerous situation but as it was it was a teaching moment!

Today it has been on my heart to study two scripture passages.

“Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

the one I love, in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him,

and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out;

no one will hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,

till he leads justice to victory.

In his name the nations will put their hope.” ~ Matthew 12 / Isaiah 53

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.  ~ 1 Thessalonians 5: 16 - 21

As Christians I think sometimes we all underestimate the important of God's Spirit in us. It's quite strange that we do that since there is no way we can navigate a life in this world as 'sin addicts' without the Spirit. 

As I have been considering this text in Isaiah, foreshadowing the coming of Jesus and the Christian life thereafter with the Holy Spirit I'm starting to understand more and more how God desires His Spirit to be a burning fire in us. It's helpful when reading these verses to know that the word justice here translates to the gospel or good news.  Jesus proclaimed His gospel to us by not only speaking it but living and dying it and therefore justifying us before God. Jesus didn't come like the great King or Prophet that the Pharisees were expecting, but rather humbly and quietly, but that didn't make His gospel any less of a victory!

The promise I am focusing on most here though, is that Jesus, filled with God's Spirit will not break us when this life leaves us bruised and broken. He will not allow the potential for our flame to go out in fact He will help it to burn ever brighter. This is such a wonderful promise, particularly if you've ever felt bruised, as I have, by this life. 

After Jesus left he promised we would have Him with us always in the form of His Spirit. So we are left here on this broken earth with the promise of everlasting life, with God's Holy Spirit and with the Scriptures. Sometimes it still seems impossible to navigate! I need to remember that I can depend on God's Spirit of Truth. The person of the Spirit lives in God's people and He wants to burn brightly in us and guide us through the struggles and joys of life. He wants to be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances so that He can burn ever brighter! We have to listen though, we can't be determined to ignore this Spirit because we have our own different ideas. I think of the folly that following in their expectations brought the Pharisees. Because Jesus wasn't what they expected Him to be they missed out on His promises. The refused to see things any way but the way they'd always seen them. 

I am working hard on allowing the Spirit to lead me through Scripture and show me God's will for my life. I don't want to miss out on wonderful things because I have different expectations. It's a constant battle but I want the fire of the Spirit to consume me so I no longer walk in old ways but in new ways.

So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. ~ Galatians 5:16