wildfire, ignite

"He makes his ministers a flame of fire. Am i ignitable? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of 'other things.' Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that i may be aflame. But flame is transient, often short-lived. Canst thou bear this my soul–short life? In me there dwells the spirit of the Great Short-Lived, whose zeal for God's house consumed Him. Make me thy fuel, thy flame of God." -Jim Elliot

i heard this quote at Cru tonight and the image wouldn't leave my mind! Jim Elliot was in college when he said this, so it hit me that his words were not spoken to an older or wiser audience, but to his friends.. believers my age. God can make anyone a minister for him, and Jim's question was whether he was ignitable or not. Would he have the privilege to stand steady and let God strike a match to set his heart ablaze? Asbestos is used to make things fireproof, so Jim asks God to rescue him from things that are destructive, causing him to not catch fire. Basically an idol or distraction, earthly possession and evil desire. Materialism and power.. Control over situations, grades, people.. Comfort and security, inclusion and affection. These examples are not always sinful but can turn bad when they start taking the spotlight off of God in our hearts. Instead we can pray to be saturated with the oil of the Spirit, where God's flame can glow. Jim's metaphor expands when he addresses the problem that flames are temporary. He asks his soul if it can bear a short life knowing that Jesus is dwelling there. If the spirit of Jesus lives in us, we should take on the same zeal that consumed Him in the short time He was on Earth. 

Make me thy fuel, thy flame of God.

Who speaks like that anymore? Jim Elliot understood that Jesus is worth laying down his life for. God's flame is intoxicating and needs to be spread like wildfire. i pray for faith like Jim.

i've seen him set the sky on fire.

a picture of prayer

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." - Colossians 2:6-7

i'm picturing a tree. 

Something like a big Magnolia tree that is easy to climb and full of white buds. 

Some more traits of my tree:

- withstands storms

- grows constantly, no matter how old or big

- provides shelter

- sheds leaves to be carried by the wind

- soaks up the sun

- thirsty for rain

- solid and always reaching upward

So maybe this is what Paul means when he tells us to live in Him. If i grow my roots in Jesus and the foundation of the Word, i will be unshakable in any storm. No matter how old i get, i will always be growing and learning. i have the opportunity to provide truth and grace to those around me, therefore acting as a haven of trust and comfort. The more i am strengthened in the faith, the more Jesus i will give off... and He will use that overflow to bring others to Him. i will bask in the Son. i will thirst for wisdom and understanding, which bring full life with the Spirit. i will be solid but forever reaching for and relying on my Father, who is the reason i live. i will bear fruit in His name; this is a command and a fact from John 15.

When we choose to build ourselves in Jesus, He showers us in love and rewards. It's a choice. He allows us this freedom because of how He loves us. Why is sin in the world? It would be easy for Him to take it all away but that would mean taking away our freedom of choice; we would all just be forced to love him like little clones of a perfect world. What kind of love is that? 

He allows us to make mistakes and learn that He's the answer. 

This is why Paul says to continue overflowing with thankfulness.

To overflow with thankfulness. i know how easy it is to overflow with love toward others when the Spirit is upon me, but how do i overflow with thankfulness? Like any other relationship, God simply wants us to spend time with Him. Communicate with Him in prayer. So here's my picture of prayer.

It's standing at the end of a pier and only hearing the water and the wind. It's getting lost in God's glory as if on top of a mountain where you've left everything else in your mind at the bottom. Closing your eyes in worship and not being able to stop yourself from reaching out with an open heart to accept His fulfilling love. Getting soaked by the rain, knowing it won't hurt you and giving thanks to the Lord. Getting on your knees and confessing everything you know He already knows but still wants to hear. It's feeling how small and powerless we are on our own and being filled with the miracle that through Him nothing is impossible. Driving, just you and God, singing and admiring the works of His hands..

It's so much more than laying in bed, dutifully talking to Him in your mind with droopy eyes.

Let Jesus captivate your mind and remind you that nothing in this world is more important than His kingdom. Let Him take your hand as you step off the pier and onto the water.

The piers in my mind, from the Cayman Islands and Hanalei Bay, Kauai. 

thirsting for knowledge

i used to read the Bible a chapter a night, and that was good. i would underline and put a verse or two in my journal or phone notes, maybe write one on my hand for the next day, and call it a night. At the same time i was praying for God to increase my desire to make Him the basis of my every action.

i don't know when it happened, it was a slow process and still is, but i began to hunger for more knowledge and understanding. My way of spending time with God at the time did not satisfy that longing so i started keeping my Bible with me throughout the day. It naturally became my priority and the part of my day i look forward to, and now being back in school i have figured out time each day to spend in the Word on campus. God answered my prayer by providing resources and opportunities to strengthen my understanding of the Bible, through sermons and talks, community, and even a bookmark-sized piece of paper provided by Young Life titled "How To Study The Bible." i'm continuing in Paul's writing with Colossians now, and i've spent the last three days reading the same chapter and writing on it. 

At the top of my page is written "Dear Lord, please change my heart as a result of studying your Word" (straight from the bookmark).

i wrote out who Paul is and what he was communicating, then i looked up more about the town of Colosse to understand who he was writing to. This was a part of the "observation- the Six W's" part of the bookmark.

"WHY: God gave Paul a longing for these people amidst their struggles. He writes to show them love and to encourage them not to give up - take advantage of having the kingdom. He updates them on his life and reminds them of their alienation and reconciliation through Jesus.

WHEREFORE: The difference if i were to apply this truth would be loving boldly in God's name, praying for others to have understanding, being patient and enduring among distractions and trials, putting Jesus first, being a servant and laboring with the Lord's energy."

i interpreted chapter one using the questions provided:

"How i see God's glory at work here is through Paul because the love he had for the people of Colosse is so obviously of the Lord. Let me have that so people can say "obviously" about the love i show and let them give God the glory. This chapter tells me the gospel is relevant today; loving in His name doesn't change. Praise the Lord for that. The motive for this text is encouragement for struggling brothers- also relevant."

He is so constant.

What's crazy is how i've seen my desire of knowledge affecting my actions and interactions. And how perfect His timing is. This weekend both of my roommates were out of town so i had the room to myself. i stayed in that night which is rare for me but i could tell it would be good. i needed to rest! I saw God the next morning when i went to my first day of Sunday School for Austin Stone's south campus. He gave me energy to love on two-year-olds in the nursery and appreciate their innocent joy. The best part of my weekend was when i felt the Spirit so tangibly telling me to go to Waco. After church i got in my car and went with one purpose: to meet up with someone i barely knew. God gave me a supernatural compassion and love that was exploding inside me and what's insane is that the feeling was mutual with my new friend. He guided our conversations yesterday which allowed us to be genuine and vulnerable- creating an unlikely friendship based solely on Him! i left Waco overflowing with excitement, knowing it was the Spirit in me rejoicing that i heard God and acted on it.

If we continuously surrender to God, we are more willing to obey Him.

The more willing we are to obey, the more we will confidently hear God's voice.

divine romance

The fullness of your grace is here with me.

The richness of your beauty's all i see.

The brightness of your glory has arrived.

In your presence God i'm completely satisfied.

For you i sing i dance.

Rejoice in this divine romance.

Lift my heart and my hands

To show my love,

to show my love.

-Divine Romance by Phil Whickham

During the break i read and took notes on Philippians- starting over every time i finished the 4 chapters. Today while discussing everything i learned, i had a realization that filled me with a crazy amount of joy. i get to meet the author of Philippians someday. Paul, one of my heroes, the guy who i just spent a month getting to know through his writing, will welcome me home alongside of my real hero- the Love of my life, Jesus Christ.

In the second chapter Paul talks about having the same attitude as Jesus, "Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing" (2:5-6). He had the eternal riches of heaven and left all that to become obedient to death.. for me. Hence the Love of my life. Forever.

That song- Divine Romance- i got to sing it tonight and i pray that i can sing and dance each day because Paul instructs me in his letters to rejoice and be glad.

God- in your presence let me be completely satisfied.

Paul- i thank you for the truth in your writing, and i'll see you soon.

the face of God

"To love another person is to see the face of God." - Victor Hugo, Les Misérables

The second time i saw Les Misérables, one of the very last lines of the movie caught my attention and played over and over in my head through the final scene. i sent it to a friend who was in the same movie at another theater and she replied, shocked, saying it was in her head too. Later we talked about it and i knew God had used it and her to send me a simple message: Love like Jesus. Do this and people will get a glimpse into your soul, and there they will see God.

God loves to call us representatives, chosen and appointed to bear fruit for Christ (John 15:16). The way to do this is by loving deeply and completely. Jesus wept with his people and shared in their joy, and this is exactly what we are called to do as well. i've heard that people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care and while that may sound cliché i believe it's true! Jesus didn't preach from afar and keep his hands clean; He showed how much He cared by making relationships. He had a genuine longing for people to live forever with Him, and we should imitate this attitude.

i received a package today from a friend who stayed at Trail West, a Young Life family camp where i grew up going and served on the Work Crew. He did it just because he knew how much i love Trail West and how happy i would be. i bet he didn't think that by letting me share in that joy i would see God's face through him, but i do.

Love rain down

"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation" -Colossians 1:21-22

This afternoon i put on my rain boots and jacket, grabbed an umbrella and started walking. For about 24 hours it had been raining non-stop. It was just a drizzle as i began my outing but when the rain picked up i closed the umbrella and let the sky drench me. i reached the lake in our neighborhood and, with my earphones playing Chris Tomlin's White Flag, i couldn't help but open my arms and sing his lyrics. "We raise our white flag, we surrender all to You, all for You. We raise our white flag, the war is over. Love has come, Your Love has won."

i was damned to be forever separated from my Creator because of the disease of sin in me. But because of the body of Jesus, a perfectly holy sacrifice, this Savior set me free. The war is over because God's love conquers everything evil in this world. In my moment of singing in solitude, i felt completely wrapped in the love of my Lord. i walked for a long time, smiling to myself and listening to my music.

But thankfully He wasn't done with me yet. My spirit had a sudden longing to put up my earphones and listen to the rain, and i ended up talking to God out loud, blinking as the raindrops hit my lifted eyes. Before a minute had passed of me thanking Him, the rain died down. No joke. I kept speaking as i heard it fade, and felt overwhelmed at how confidently i knew He was listening. i asked Him to help me surrender every aspect of my life daily, so that i may be built up in Him. It's crazy how He answered the second i gave Him the opportunity to move in me, and He showered me in His Love as a reward.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." -Colossians 2:6-7

revive my soul

It's January and i just finished my first semester in college. i had many adventures, but one of the more extravagant events was a somewhat spontaneous four-day trip to Colorado with some friends. We did not go with any big plans in mind, we just needed to be still. 

"Let me breathe. Let me breathe in the sweet morning air. 

When these mountains speak, they let me know that You're there."

Back to Colorado by Brendan McCarthy

Colorado is an automatic release of pressure for me. Liberation. So often people get caught up in, and stressed out by their busy schedules to the point where it builds up a feeling of incompetency which can spill out in other areas. This semester i learned to take each day at a time because everything works out and God will provide. Not saying to be lazy and see what happens, because we are not called to sit around idly; but we are instructed by our Creator to take breaks, or sabbaths. It looks different for different people but disconnecting is a good start. Re-releasing the reins and placing all control in God's grip happens when we truly acknowledge His presence, His sovereignty, and His trust. During my weekend in Colorado, I ran, rested, sang, explored, laughed, prayed, cried, loved and breathed. God's glory may be glaringly obvious in the mountains, but i can do all those things no matter where i am. My prayer this semester is that i don't forget the importance of reviving my soul. We all need to take our hearts to Colorado more often than we do, so i'm going to add it to the list of goals that will unfold throughout this journey.

"For so long, i've been running down the wrong road on my own. 

So i'm back to Colorado."