Soul Food: “Our Light Was Never Meant To Be Little” by Katie Wilson
“This Little Light of Mine” is one of my favorite songs, but I have to admit that the “little” part has always bothered me.
Abraham saw a “fiery bush”; Moses had a glowing head; wise men followed a brilliant star; Saul was blinded by the Light, and if I’m reading Revelation correctly, as followers of Christ, we are promised a city that “does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb it its lamp.” (Rev. 21:23)
All that to say, if Jesus Christ is in me, shouldn’t my song be, “Great Balls of Fire?” That Lamb that lights up Heaven also serves as a lamp on earth through the power of the Holy Spirit. The work of the Holy Spirit is likened to a fire, and may I go so far as to say a “wildfire?” He illuminates, or reveals, our sin, God’s Word, and His Glory, Jesus Christ.
A wildfire is not contained and it lights up everything in its path. An earthly wildfire causes destruction, but a heavenly “wildfire”, when given full sway, causes resurgence or resurrection. As long as there is kindling, it will keep moving, stay fueled and grow in intensity; revival breaks out.
When Christ told his disciples that they would do even greater things than He did by the power of the Holy Spirit in them, He was letting them know that the “wildfire”, that was about to come to them, was a “resurrection wind” and they better not let that power, love and discipline go wasted in fear, or anything else for that matter.
Earthly wildfire is hard to contain, but it can be stopped, thus limiting the destruction. Heavenly wildfire is also hard to contain, but it too, can be quenched, thus limiting the “resurrection wind.” Firewalls are designed to inhibit or prevent the spread of fire but firewalls were not intended to be erected in the Heavenly realm.
I now see where the “little” light comes from.
3 THINGS THAT MAKE OUR LIGHT LITTLE:
1) When we sin, if we ignore or justify heart conviction,we will quench, but repenting will fuel the Fire.
2) If we attempt to rely solely on the Spirit without reading the Word or we respond to promptings that contradict God’s Word, we will quench, but when we ask the Holy Spirit to explain God’s Word, and we hold Holy Spirit promptings up to HIS Word before acting, we will fuel the Fire.
3) If we separate the Spirit from Christ and Christ from God, then we quench, but if we look through the lens of the Spirit, who always highlights Christ, who always points to the Father, then we fuel the Fire.
I have decided I am “going big or going home.” I will not settle for a “little” light. I want, and I, we, can have that “great ball of fire,” but we do not drift into the “wildfire life.” We must be intentional about stepping into it and we must be intentional about not quenching it.
So what does this look like in my daily walk? I will share my thoughts with a poem:
I could excuse this bitter root.
What they did to me was wrong.
The Spirit whispers in my ear,
“Unforgiveness steals your song.”
I’m too tired to read HIS WORD;
Holy Spirit’s all I need.
The Spirit whispers in my ear,
“I breathed each WORD; NOW READ!”
Christ and God are on their thrones;
So the “wildfire” takes front seat.
The Spirit whispers in my ear,
“It’s Jesus Whom you need to meet!”
Prayer:
Dear Lord, please help us to fuel the fire and not quench the Spirit. Speak to us through Your Word; open our hearts to receive Your Truth; change us more and more into Your likeness, and enable us to light up the sky, pointing the world around us to YOU! Our light was never meant to be “little.” Help us take down the firewalls and let “great balls of fire” have full sway!
Amen
Reflection Questions:
In what areas am I quenching the Spirit and how?
In what areas am I fueling the fire and how?
What is one step I can take this week to quench less and fuel more?
Treasure Hunt:
**Here are some FIREWALLS to investigate this week:
Firewall of Fear: Queen Esther – Esther 6:16
Firewall of Busyness: Martha and Mary – Luke 10:38-42
Firewall of Religious Ritual: Rich Young Ruler – Matthew 19:16-22
Firewall of Shame: The Parable of 2 debtors – Luke 7:40-50
Faith In Action:
Say YES to God.
Lean in and listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
Be willing to go, to be, and to do whatever God might choose.
**Below is an Audio Recording from the Thrive Community Bible Study-Cove Church . This Soul Food was birthed in preparation for this “Wildfire” teaching.
About the Author:
Katie W. is a Memphis born, messy masterpiece, who is confident in her Creator! After graduating from Vanderbilt, she married her college sweetheart and was Huntsville bound! 20+years and 3 children later, Katie spends her moments amazed by grace, which leads to “freedom writing”, God-dependent parenting, Scripture gold-digging, “opening her mouth wide and letting God fill it”(Psalm 81:10), and running her race with perseverance, while podcasting and posting her Jesus take-a-ways. Katie serves on staff at Lincoln Village Ministries and is an active member at Church of the Highlands. She loves the ministry of reconciliation and how it reflects the heart of God and is passionate about seeing the next generation hunger and thirst for THAT JESUS! Connect with Katie on her blog at Psalm8110.com
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