fires...

This summer, California has been marked by a lot of
fires. I heard that at one point we had over 600 wild fires burning our
beautiful state. Have you ever considered how firefighters put out a
huge wild fire? I hadn’t given it much thought until this summer, when
the area of Northern California where I live, had several wild fires
burn our hillsides and fill our air with smoke. When there’s a raging
wildfire that cannot be stopped, even when the helicopters drop tons of
water and retardant, they send in specialized firefighters. These
firefighters go down and actually start new fires, which seems
counterproductive, doesn’t it?

When there’s an out-of-control fire, these specialized firefighters
start strategically positioned fires because they understand the only
way to stop a devastating fire is to consume it with a new fire. That’s
exactly what the Scriptures say. The only way I am going to stop being
pulled around by destructive desires and passions is to allow God to
awaken those passions and desires that will bring my life to wholeness
and health and make me fully alive.

I don’t know where you are at in your spiritual journey, but if you are
like me, then you have been so focused on putting out your wild fire
(whatever it is) by just trying harder to stop or maybe by focusing on
praying more or reading the Bible more. Let me suggest a tip from the
expert firefighters. How about focus on starting new fires…in fact, if
you have read much of what Jesus’ followers wrote about him, this was
his approach. He didn’t so much stress that his disciples spend all
their time and energy eliminating the dangerous passions that burned
within them. No, he spent time starting new ones, teaching them a new
way of living, a new way of engaging life, a way that brought
fulfillment, pleasure, a life that was focused on others and not self.

If I could offer a “next step” for your journey it would be to talk
with God. After all he is the one who created your life and it’s my
belief that he did so for a significant purpose. In fact the Scriptures
tell us that one way he created us, is by placing within our hearts
certain desires, passions or dreams. I would encourage you, if you’d
let me to begin talking with him about the dreams and passions he’s
placed with in you. Let’s start some fires!