The sun was slipping down out of sight on the horizon as another day on the farm drew to a close. Everyone needed their rest. The cows… the farmers…. the families. As each one closed their eyes in sleep, a gentle rain began to fall.
During the day, the farmers had been hard at work doing repairs in one of the barns. They soon realized that hammer and screwdriver were not going to be the answers. The repair needed a weld. Equipment was rolled in… welding completed… and the problem solved. The farmers took a last look as they picked up their tools, making sure that no sparks were left in the freestalls. No sparks were seen… at least to the farmers.
Early the next morning, one of the farmers took his usual walk around the farm… checking on cows, equipment… and, yes, the barn. He wandered over to where they had done the welding the day before. What he saw took his breath away….
A spark had landed on one of the wooden crossbeams, and had been smoldering all night long. Up overhead, there was a slight opening in the roof, and rain had been gently dripping on the smoldering fire while they slept, keeping it from spreading. The fire hadn’t gone out… it had just been kept small and safe by the hand of God.
Thousands of years ago, God showed mankind His desire to have a relationship with them, in providing detailed instructions on the building of the tabernacle. But He didn’t stop there. He also gave specific rules and guidance as far as the sacrifices to be offered. There was the Burnt Offering, the Grain Offering, the Sin Offering, the Guilt Offering and the Fellowship Offering. After describing each one explicitly, God then said in Leviticus 6, verses 12 and 13…
“The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.”
Imagine. No matter how tired the priest felt…. “it must not go out.” No matter what else was on his schedule for the day….. “it must not go out.” No matter the status of his headspace…. “it must not go out.” No matter if the others in the tabernacle were pulling their weight…. “it must not go out.” No matter how angry he was at God for what He was doing or not doing… “it must not go out.” No matter how little he understood of God’s will and design…. “it must not go out.”
He was to add firewood…. the basic requirement of keeping a fire burning. He was then to arrange the burnt offering on it… the offering that gave a beautiful aroma… an aroma to the Lord, but also allowing everyone around to know that it had taken place. And then he was to add the fat of the fellowship offering… the part that specifically was to be set aside for the Lord. It must not go out.
This humbles me, shakes me, begs for my obedience, calls my name. How often is the flame in my heart just smoldering, dripped on by incessant needs, questions, doubts and fears… and I rush, push, scramble, plan, figure… working hard to please the One Who whispers, “it must not go out”?
Every morning… every morning… every morning… God calls me to first tend to the fire in my heart. Beginning with the wood… I need that daily reminder of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for my sins… and all that He endured in the agonizing hours that He hung there for me. As my heart and soul are overwhelmed with His grace, it then will respond with the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. But wait. That’s not where it ends. The aroma… the beautiful scent or influence of being in His Presence will follow me as I head out into my day…. and others will know… and wonder… and be blessed.
“It must not go out.”
How’s the fire in your heart?
Loving Heavenly Father… I bow my head in Your Presence, humbled that you love to have me spend time there with You. Keep the fire in my heart burning bright… illuminating You to the hurting world around me. Help me to eliminate anything in my life that works tirelessly and subtly to destroy the fire. Continue to overwhelm me with Your grace… and may the scent of being in Your Presence follow me as I go about my day… Amen