fire lesson

I felt the approval to share this with others, not just at service tonight.

Earlier today, before beginning morning prayers, I sensed it was time to burn up the old Chrism oil in the oil stock I carry. It took a lot of effort to eventually get it to catch fire, but it eventually did. Glass I had it in was designed for candles to be burned in. It was pretty and relatively thick. I placed it on the mantle and began prayers. Throughout prayers, I began to see it glow brighter and brighter. It filled the room with the aroma and the flames began to become more noticeable. As it increased and more of the oil was consumed, I could see the waves of heat at the same time get more pronounced. Then came the unpredicted: small sounds of "tink", "tink", "tinktinktink". I looked up and there were the cracks along the side of the glass. Now the glass was not a thin glass. It was quite thick, yet the heat was too much for it. The glass didn't shatter, thankfully, but it is broken, the heat finding its way out. I felt the spiritual tug: "pay attention"....so, I prayed harder. In fact, throughout the day I prayed asking the Lord what is He saying?

Tonight, He answered:

My fire is hotter than you realize. The same fire I sent to the disciples, the same fire that they passed on, this fire that is Me is hotter than you realize. It was never meant to be contained in a nice neat little "glass". Those glasses were designed to hold a fire of your own making, not of My making. My heat will build, try to contain it and it will find a way out, unless you snuff the flame. I have given you this fire, use it. I will continue to give it to you, let it flow. Don't stick Me in a small little glass, let Me flow through you and through that, let Me change you and the world around you.

Come Lord, come, bring your fire. Let it consume the sacrifices we offer, like the day in which Elijah called You down, let the sacrifices be consumed and let that stand as witness to Your greater glory.