[Pearls Ep 132: Friday follow-up]
We’re looking at this Sunday’s Gospel message – “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!”
Over the past few weeks we’ve seen Jesus leading up to this with teachings that we need to be detached. Why? So that we’re prepared. For what? Well, just look around – for everything that comes with being fallen human beings in a decidedly fallen (to put it mildly) world.
And so we work at being detached and being prepared.
But it can be difficult to keep alert. To stay motivated. To … keep that fire blazing.
Fire is a great emotive force, with so many inferences. As we noted yesterday, fire illuminates, purifies, energizes, protects and so on.
But perhaps what fire does best, in terms of our interior life is this – it gets our attention. Have you ever had a match burn down to your fingers? In that moment, there’s nothing else on your mind.
We see this in scripture:
- Moses climbs Mount Horeb because he must see the burning bush for himself
- The Israelites are drawn to follow the pillar of fire (the shekinah) through the desert
- The disciples on the road to Emmaus suddenly recognize Who had visited them because of their burning hearts
- After Pentecost the crowds were captivated by the Apostles with tongues of fire upon their heads
- In heaven the highest Angels are the Seraphim – enflamed with holy fire because they are so consumed with the glory of God.
Fire demands our attention. And when we’re on fire for the Lord, we are naturally aware of Him; listening for Him; expecting to find Him; attentive to Him.
It is, then, a most worthy task to reflect on the aspects of our life where we are spiritually cool – where we tend to lose sight of Christ – where He doesn’t have our full (or even partial) attention.
This is key to our interior life, because we are only as strong as our weakest link. The devil is “always prowling like a roaring lion” is searching for an entry point. That’s why the Psalms describe the heavenly Jerusalem as an unassailable fortress – impenetrable. And as has been said, “a fence around ¾ of your home does not make you 75% safe.” The devil will enter where we are weak, where we are lukewarm, where we are distracted from God.
So, this weekend, we are invited to reflect on where we are distracted from God. Let’s ask Holy Spirit to lead us in this, and we’ll come away this Sunday knowing where we need to place some kindling and strike a match.
Sabbath blessings to you –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Lk 12:49-53
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!
There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!
Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”