Tend Your Fire

Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord. When you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When you pray, be faithful. Share with God's people who are in need. Welcome others into your homes. -Romans 12:11-13 (NIrV)

Fire is never static. It moves, it changes what it comes in contact with. It builds in intensity as we feed it. It fades if we smother it. Our theme verse charges us to tend the fire in our hearts, increase our awareness of God's presence, and live well.

Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive. Serve the Lord.

FIRES GO OUT WHEN THE ARE UNTENDED. WE KNOW OUR FIRE IS GOING OUT WHEN:

We are satisfied with a long-distance relationship with God. We may say that we just don't have time for the things that will improve our relationship with God, but truthfully, it is never really a time problem. It's always a hunger problem. If you are hungry, you will find food. If you are cold, you will search for warmth. If we don't want more in our relationship with God, we will rarely get more.

We are too comfortable. If we look at our list and can easily accomplish all that is there without God's provision, we may have lost our passion to truly impact other.

We find ourselves unconcerned about the condition of people around us.

We wake up exhausted, feel bored, or have lost our vision for the future.

WE KEEP THE FIRE ALIVE WHEN WE:

Take care of ourselves. Sometimes the fire flickers simply because we are tired Take a break when you need to, eat a good meal, extend grace to yourself and to others, laugh with a friend.

Have a friend help. Every now and then we need a friend or mentor who can encourage us when we are weary or u

nsure.

Pray over and proclaim out loud the promises of God.

It is easy to get distracted by fear, worry, anxiety or the desire for approval from those we work with or serve. Often, the things we are doing that we believe are positively influencing those around us can become our greatest distraction. In Romans, Paul says that when we tend the fire in our hearts we will hope joyfully, suffer patiently and pray faithfully. When we do those things, we will share what we have and live hospitably with others.