Scripture
10Who among you fears the Lord
and obeys his servant?
If you are walking in darkness,
without a ray of light,
trust in the Lord
and rely on your God.
11But watch out, you who live in your own light
and warm yourselves by your own fires.
This is the reward you will receive from me:
You will soon fall down in great torment.
Isaiah 50:10-11
Observation
This Messianic prophecy talks about how Jesus would die for us and bring us into the light of salvation. He contrasts the light of our wisdom with the light of His. Christ’s light will endure no matter how deep the darkness. Our light actually leads us toward greater darkness. Yet, we still choose to warm ourselves by the light of our own fires, to solve our own problems, to make our own way instead of following His will. Why? Because to trust in the Lord and rely on Him takes time and we would much rather not wait for His fire, but light our own. We have the promise in verse 4 that God will build the fire of our understanding day by day if we are willing to wait on Him: “The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.” We just don’t like to wait so we live by our own light.
Application
Last night our Community Builders gathered at Tamarack Beach Tower 35 to celebrate all God has been doing through their House Church’s these past few months. I brought the fire pit, I brought the wood, I brought the S’more supplies. As the sun was setting I built a raging fire and we all gathered around. Then, the Life Guard showed up and told us open wood fires were not allowed on the beach. I politely mentioned I had looked for signs and didn’t see any. He told me they used to be posted but weren’t up anymore. I asked for a few minutes and he said no. Then, he paused and gave us ten minutes before having to extinguish the fire. This gave us time for everyone to roast hot dogs and S’mores before putting out the fire. Now, here’s the cool part. My plans didn’t work, but God’s plans always work. As we gathered around a smoldering fire pit, God lit the sky on fire as the sun began to set. While in the middle of worship we all stood watched and were warmed not by the light of my fire but by the warmth of God’s presence, God’s people, and God’s creation. There’s a chance we would have completely missed this had we had our fire still going. Our focus would have been on what I had done rather than on what God was doing. This is the season we are in. The fires of our understanding, our church habits of worship, our patterns of comfort, our wisdom from traditions are going up in smoke and yet many of us church leaders are still trying to blow on the embers of what once was. Times are dark, but God is bringing a light that is so much brighter if we will let the old light die and see what He is doing. In fact, on that same beach a little farther down in Cardiff. Sean Feucht from the global worship and prayer movement Burn 24-7 was leading over 5,000 people in worship where many were water baptized. And, as if that’s not enough to convince us that God’s fires burn much brighter than the ones we have been used to building there this. While God was speaking to our small group leaders and that massive worship gathering He was simultaneously chasing a Category 1, Hurricane Douglas, away from its crash course aimed at Oahu. Instead of darkness and destruction, guess what Hawaii received? A beautiful double rainbow, a bright light, a sunset filled with purple and orange reminders that God builds a much better fire. Notice something?
Prayer
I noticed something, Lord. All of this is happening outside. Even our Father’s House services are outside, our Christmas In July Kids outreach was outside and Your re helping us to see what You are doing all around us like never before. Up until the COVID reality most of our Church focus and finances were on facilities. I have been finding myself stubbornly clinging to the nostalgia of past fires I’ve built then looking for the fires of revival You are building!
pic credit: @benjibarnesoahu
Comments