A week or so ago I watched, on NBC evening news with Brian William, the fires out west. These fires cover thousands of acres of land and several states.  They were most likely started by a careless camper or lightning strikes. The flames, first started as a spark, but then ignited into a burning blazing fiery inferno, that was fueled by dry, dead wood and grass, and fanned by the wind. Our heroic firefighters are out there braving the elements, trying to safe lives, homes, and land.

When I was about 5 or 6 years old my home was threaten by a fire. My cousin  was burning trash in a barrow.  On this particular summer day there was a breeze. It hadn’t rained for a while and the grass was dead brown. My cousin didn’t realize the danger of burning trash that day. He lit the paper and the wind fanned the flames. It carried the burning pieces of paper, igniting the dry grass. My cousin stood paralyzed with fear and amazement, watching, as the flames spread across the backyard. My Aunt Irene and Mom  saw the fire and tried desperately to smother it out with rugs. Even at that young of age, I could sense my mothers fear and desperation. We were in a dire situation. Our home was in danger of being turned to ashes. I watched from a window as my mother franticly tried to keep the flames from reaching and destroying our home. She worked with earnest and determination until the firemen arrived and smothered the flames.

I believe our brain is wired to know God, whether or not we choose to is of course our free choice. I believe the desire to know God is like a flame. In the beginning it starts off as a small spark. This flame, inside of us, is fuel by reading the Bible, prayer, listening to sermons, Christian books, Christian fellowship, and witnessing. This burning desire to know Him is fanned by the wind(Holy Spirit). And the flames become a burning desire to know God and have a loving friendship and relationship with Him.

In order to keep the fire burning we have to keep it well fueled, but that is not all it has to have the wind to fan the flames and make it blaze in our lives. We can smother the flames at any time. Some smother the flame, in the beginning, at that first spark. Others smother it by not providing the fuel to keep it going.

Hopefully, Deborah Bedford and Joyce Meyer book, The Penny, has ignited the burning desire to know Jesus and trust His leading in your life. For some, this is the first spark, for others it is the fanning of the flame.

It is my desire that you allow the Holy Spirit to fan your desire to know Him.

Louise