One tiny flame
It is so hot and soooooooo humid here in Queensland Australia. Yes, the summer is always humid here, but with so much water covering the whole State from recent floods the humidity is higher than usual and perspiration is streaming down from my head, sticking my hair to my neck and stinging my eyes.
Why am I sitting here with fans blasting at me from all directions, thinking about fire? I’d rather be thinking about cold and snow and ice, but my thoughts are about a fire – a BIG fire.
In Chicago, in 1871, a woman was milking her cow by the light from a little lamp of oil. The cow kicked over the lamp. The flame kindled a wisp of hay, and another wisp, and another, until all the hay in the stable was alight and it burned the whole stable.
Soon the next building was on fire, and the next, and the next.
The fire kept spreading, devouring all in its path, until only two buildings were left standing in a territory one mile wide and three miles long!
ONE TINY FLAME
FROM ONE TINY LAMP
HAD LAID CHICAGO IN ASHES!
Thought for fellow Christians:
God uses small things – and small people.
He hides the wealth of a field of wheat in bags of tiny seeds.
He hides His giant oak trees in little acorns.
Of myself I am nothing. I can achieve nothing.
But God chooses to use the weak things of this world
and He empowers them to do the impossible.
If I allow the fire of God to take hold in me, I might only be a wisp of hay, but if it sets me on fire, that fire will communicate itself to another – and another – and another.
It will burn on and on and THEN we will see God at work in a world which is in desperate need but is turning its back on the only One who can answer that need.
If many of us allow ourselves to be used as a spark,
we may see fires all over the world.
We may see revival!
In Christ, we are more than conquerors.
Surrendered to Him, He could use us to turn our world upside down.
Some timely words from Elizabeth Ann Head 1850-1936
O Breath of Life come sweeping through us.
Revive Thy Church with life and power.
O Breath of Life, come, cleanse, renew us
And fit Thy Church to meet this hour.
Revive us Lord! Is zeal abating
While harvest fields are vast and white?
Revive us Lord! The world is waiting.
Equip Thy Church to spread the Light.
MEETING IN THE CLOUDS 
Angela,
You are so right in saying,…
“God uses small things – and small people.
He hides the wealth of a field of wheat in bags of tiny seeds.
He hides His giant oak trees in little acorns.”
And yet this lesson is so hard for us to learn. Years ago, I was pastoring a very small church in Ohio. We were located in a small village that had no other church in it. At times, I found myself getting discouraged preaching to the small number of precious members.
One of the dear members could sense my discouragement and told me…
“Which would you rather be a giant chandelier in the center of a room filled with lights or a single light bulb in a dark stairwell? The single bulb may not get the praise or the attention but it is greatly needed. ”
I’ll never forget that kind-hearted comment made to a young pastor whose priorities were entirely messed up. The Lord used that comment to change my entire way of looking at His service. I’ve never been the same since, praise the Lord.
Thanks for another great posting Angela,
Rob
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Hi Rob. Just as well He uses small things – or more accurately, NOTHINGS, because without Him we ARE nothing and can DO nothing. But praise God, He chooses to use us, empowering us with His wisdom and power, and bringing about His purposes. What a wonderful Saviour!
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Let it begin with me.
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And me.
You in your small corner, and I in mine.
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I accept that challenge. God bless you Angela.
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It wasn’t meant as a challenge Todd – just an almost forgotten song from teaching little ones many years ago, but since the Lord issued the challenge Himself when He said “Let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” I guess it is a challenge for all who own His name.
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Angela,
As a male, that was my fun way of saying, “Let’s do this together.” Men thrive on challenges, especially Godly challenges!
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Angela,
When I was growing up in the church, we were taught certain things about modesty, and how we were to present ourselves to the world. We were taught that we were in this world, but not of the world. Nowadays, it’s difficult to discern a saint from a sinner! We must let our lights so shine before all men, that they may see our good works, and glorify the Father which is in heaven! In many instances, it seems that our sparks have completely burnt out, and the light of the Lord is not shining brightly, if at all! Our daily prayer should be, Lord send a revival, and let it begin in me! Thank you for sharing this most timely post! May all who read this post, be set ablaze once again! God bless you!
Paulette
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Hi Paulette
I recently discussed on a friend’s blog how standards have changed over the years. When I became a Christian 52 years ago “come out from among them and be separate” had meaning. People today look at that as being negative, but I’d have to say there was more care for the unsaved and more evangelism than there is today. True, Christians were known in a negative way – they don’t gamble, don’t drink, don’t swear, don’t etc – but they were also known in a positive way. They upheld a “decent” lifestyle and lived a life that made others want what they had.
We need to show the positives of being believers. We need to let our lights shine. We need to lift Jesus higher so that HE will draw all to Himself. Lord, send a revival and start the work in me.
Angela
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We had a fire like that in Chudleigh about 150 years ago….Thatched roofs caught fire and laid waste to most of the town.
Good analogy…
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If only we were committed enough to spread the message in the same way!
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I agree.
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Ah, perfect! What a great post… especially for such a time as this.
May the fire of the Lord light our hearts with a zeal to live for Him. And may the fire in our hears spread wildly to the hearts of those around us, and around them, and so on.
Blessings to you, my friend!
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>> “for such a time as this” <<
Heather, I believe time is running out and so many people don't know the Saviour! They NEED to see Christ in us. They NEED to see the amazing difference that Christ makes in a life.
Because THEY need to see, WE need to be set alight – not just a spark, but a blaze!
Angela
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