Catching Fire
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 ESV
Have you ever crossed paths with someone that really inspired you? It’s pretty amazing when God allows a divine moment when a person comes along and impacts you in such a profound way that you realize your life will never be the same as before you met them. No matter if you had the opportunity to meet them in real life, read about them, or watch/listen to them on a screen, you walk away with an intense knowing that something is flowing from them that you desperately need and want. That happened to me just recently.
I attended an online Christian women’s conference for writers and speakers about a month ago. There was one session that I heard that I couldn’t forget or get over. I don’t remember the exact topic the speaker was speaking on. All I remember is how the speaker grabbed my attention with her love for Jesus and her relentless pursuit of Him. She told a story about the moment she “caught fire” and was inspired and impacted by a lone kitchen worker at a church camp she attended. I haven’t gotten over how much this speaker named Alicia and her story have inspired me in my walk with Jesus.
Alicia told the story of how she attended church camp for many years growing up. Being a regular attendee year after year, she could almost recite how each year would unfold. Except something unexpected happened during her camp experience when she was sixteen, which had a lasting impact that would affect her for many years.
The camp attendees would always have a night at the camp bonfire before camp would end. This one night, Alicia realized she had left her shoes in the camp cafeteria. She left the bonfire to run back to grab her shoes, and as she entered the cafe, she noticed she heard singing. Upon investigating where the sound was coming from, Alicia was intrigued by this lone kitchen worker. The kitchen worker finally noticed that she wasn’t alone anymore. She saw Alicia and said, “Hey, I’m just having a praise party in here. Care to join me?”
Alicia “caught fire” from this lone kitchen worker who extended an invitation to a young sixteen-year-old girl to join her praise party as this woman praised the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There was something about the joy in this woman’s eyes and the smile on her face that made Alicia say yes to this lady’s invitation. She ended up spending the whole night in the cafeteria with the kitchen worker singing praise songs to Jesus at the top of their lungs as they danced around the room. Alicia caught something from that very moment. She caught “being on fire” for Jesus and she has never been the same since. Overflowing with love for King Jesus, Alicia decided to pursue Jesus above all else relentlessly.
I’ve never met Alicia in person, but I can tell you that I don’t have to. Just watching and listening to her talk about Jesus made me want to know Him more. I want the same kind of fire and passion that she has for Jesus. You see, you can tell when someone has spent time with Him. You just can’t miss it because it overflows from every fiber of their being.
As I listened to Alicia’s story, I realized that I have a fantastic opportunity. I can either be a fire-starter or a fire-extinguisher.
When I choose to pursue Jesus relentlessly, I position myself to be a fire starter. Everything that flows from my relationship with Him just can’t help but to overflow to others allowing them to catch fire for Jesus. It’s like a domino effect. One person catching fire from another, then another, then another. All for Jesus! Then an amazing thing happens -before long, revival breaks out, and lives are forever changed with the gospel of Jesus Christ! What an awesome thing to happen! I get goosebumps just thinking about how wonderful that would be.
However, my life hasn’t always been a fire starter. Sometimes I have been a fire-extinguisher. Not only have I not lived a sold-out, on-fire life for Jesus, but I have played a contribution in extinguishing the fires of other women who are trying to live for Jesus. Oh, I haven’t meant to do it, but that is what happens when we live our lives apart from Jesus and don’t pursue Him. We become filled with ourselves instead of being filled with Jesus.
I bet that kitchen worker had no idea that her invitation to her praise party with Jesus would have the kind of impact that it did on that young girl and that it would trickle down to someone like me.
Friend, I want to be filled with Jesus. I want to “catch fire” from someone who is on fire for Jesus and lives from the overflow of their relationship with Him. And I want someone else to “catch fire” for Jesus from me. I want to be a fire-starter and not a fire-extinguisher.
What about you?
Heavenly Father,
Forgive me of all the times I have been a fire-extinguisher. Thank you for the fire-starters you have placed in my life. Thank you for the women who have chosen to live entirely sold-out for you and thank you for allowing my path to cross with them. You are amazing, Lord, and I’m in awe of your faithfulness and your love. Help me pursue you more each day and help me live a life that inspires women to follow you with all their hearts. You are all we need. In Jesus Name, Amen
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
Reflection:
Have you been living your life as a fire starter or a fire extinguisher?
What can you do today to diligently pursue Jesus more than you did yesterday?
Share one change you will make today to live your life as a fire starter.