“I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” Luke 12:49

Lightning Bolt

I was recently visiting some family members on the Northern California coast. The days were lovely, warm, and clear. But as we sat around a campfire in the approaching darkness, the fog began to creep in—first with the breeze dying off, and then with a soggy dampness that thick blankets could barely keep at bay.

My relative tried to start a fire within a ring of rocks. Down went crumpled paper, followed by kindling, with logs at the ready off to the side. Match after match was lit, but that wood would not kindle. We had plenty of smoke that moved us all out of our chairs for a few moments, but there was no enveloping warmth, no spark, no fire. (My husband saved the day after my relative exhausted all attempts—we kindle a fire in our woodstove all winter long, so he is an expert! S’mores ensued immediately.)

Fire, as used in Scripture, sometimes refers to God’s judgment on sin, but other times it refers to the Holy Spirit. In today’s Scripture, the fire Jesus came to send on earth was the Holy Spirit, Who brings to believers a burning zeal for God.

We often lay our hearts on the altar, so to speak. We consciously bring our whole lives before God, to be consumed by His love, to confess and repent of our sins, to realize afresh that our heart, soul, mind, and strength belong to Him. But sometimes it seems the wood will not burn. There isn’t enough kindling (the realization that we are sinners in need of a Savior), or the wood is wet (from our tears, or from the constantly oppressive rain of trials), or the logs are full of old sap that only melts and drips lethargically (because our hearts are dead, depressed, or defeated.) We may sense a tiny spark when we are in church or Bible study; a song may lift us for the moment, but it is only vaporous smoke, unable to fan the flame of true desire for our God.

Sometimes we need more than a match. Sometimes we need a lightning bolt that burns away the soggy condition of our hearts. If God kindles a fire in us with His lightning, who could put it out?

Attempts to kindle our own flame will end in failure and doubt. We need the lightning bolt that never fails—the Holy Spirit. “…He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11b).

“Jesus, pour out the Holy Spirit upon us, Your redeemed daughters. Make us fervent witnesses to Your glory and goodness. We come to You, for You alone have the power to kindle this flame in us. In Your powerful Name we pray. Amen.”