Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Make Me Thy Fuel, Flame of God

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

Last week, Christians blogged, Facebooked, and tweeted Scripture, songs, poems, and thoughts on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. On Easter morning, we reverently and enthusiastically worshipped, then hurried to family dinners, afternoon egg hunts, and of course—after-dinner naps.

Celebrating Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday is easy. As the sun set on Easter, I wondered where our hearts would be Monday morning in the wake of leftover ham, half-eaten candy baskets, and wrinkled church clothes tossed in the laundry.

Over two thousand years ago, on Easter Monday, Christ returned to work—His father’s work. He forgave Peter and then instructed him to “feed my sheep.” Among Jesus’ other activities was the Great Commission given to the eleven disciples.

We are His disciples now—with the Bible and Holy Spirit to instruct us.

"He makes His ministers a flame of fire. Am I ignitable? God deliver me from the dread asbestos of 'other things.' Saturate me with the oil of the Spirit that I may be aflame. But flame is transient, often short lived. Canst thou bear this, my soul-short life? Make me thy fuel, Flame of God." Jim Elliot (martyred missionary)

Celebrating Christ’s resurrection revitalized me, as I’m sure it did many Christians. Beyond that, it’s a reminder of my rebirth each time I enter into God’s presence. Yet, as I grow deeper in my spiritual journey, I’m cognizant of the necessary steps to stay aflame.

If my flame gets diminished during dark moments, when I feel less enthusiasm or challenged beyond my human abilities, saturation with the Spirit’s oil through Bible study and prayer is the only hope for my flame burning brightly beyond Christian celebrations.

As we go to the Lord in prayer this week for each other’s needs, consider the condition of your flame and how it impacts those around you.

Though I don’t pray scripted prayers often, this simple one written by Jim Elliot has resonated with me through the years. Perhaps it will with you, too.

"Lord, make me a crisis man. Let me not be a mile-post on a single road, but make me a fork that men must turn one way or another in facing Christ in me."

If you have a prayer need, I’ve love to hear from you. Please leave your requests in the comments section below. You may also comment anonymously, if you’d like, or email me confidential requests.

·    My request this week is for the Petters family in Anderson, SC, where I live. The mom was killed in a car accident in Anderson over Easter weekend, and the father is in Charleston receiving treatment for leukemia. Their two babies, ages 6 months and 2 years old, are in the care of their grandparents. Please pray for God’s comfort and provision for this family.
·    Our song this week is by Christian singer Aaron Shust. Aaron’s newborn son Michael has Down’s Syndrome. Michael will have major heart surgery sometime in the next few weeks, when he has gained enough weight to make the surgery safe, unless his condition dictates it happening sooner. Please keep this little guy and the Shust family in your prayers.
Take a few moments to enjoy “My Savior, My God” before going to the Lord in prayer.




 (The winner of the book giveaway last week is TC Avey, who left a comment on “How Do You Kill 11 Million People?” Thanks to everyone who left comments last week to be eligible for the drawing. Stay tuned for future book giveaways.)

7 comments:

  1. Betty shared these requests on a previous prayer meeting post. I wanted to make sure everyone who visits today will see them.

    "Asking for prayer again for karen. she is now in critical condition and it is not looking good. btw- she does have leukemia - i was confused on her condition. the doctor has called the family to her bedside. she is a little older than we are laura, and she and tony's cousin, mike, are so in love. i worry for him - this was a second marriage for them both yet a true love story. thank the Lord they both are children of God.

    also....we found out today that tony did not get the marion co. job. we are very down and concern. savings is going fast. much faster than we had thought. just pray something happens soon.

    last thing - we pray for courtney daily and we both wanted to know how she is doing. if you have any info pls let us know.

    God Bless Laura and thank you for this site!!

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  2. A prayer suitable for everybody! I lift up to Father god the prayer requests and let us just trust God that everything will turn alright.

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  3. Thank you for this. I also feel we focus so much on Christ the week before Easter then loose it a bit. I know I lose my flame so easy and I don't want to be like that. I love the quote by Jim Elliot about being a crises man!

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