To Burn

There is a story told among Eastern Orthodox and Monastic circles about the story of Abba Lot. The story goes like this: "Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, ‘Abba as far as I can I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?’ then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, ‘If you will, you can become all flame.’"

It's not only a beautiful vision, to become all aflame, but it's a beautiful idea. John Wesley's conversion story tells of how his heart was "strangely warmed". The Christian faith is full of metaphors linking faith to fire and warmth- the idea that our passion for Christ will become so inflamed within our hearts that the sensation will be like burning. It is my conviction that this is our heart's deepest longing.

I often think about the phenomenon that takes place when I quickly pass my finger through a flame...I don't feel any pain. I feel the heat maybe (depending on the size of the flame), but if I move my finger through the flame very quickly then I can avoid injury or burn. It's as if I never touched the fire. Perhaps that is how our spiritual lives are in relation to the time spent with our Father. We are like Father Lot; we pray and read scripture and go to church, and yet we thirst for more. Our lives feel somehow untouched and cold. So I ask this question: are we treating God like a chore? Is He something to check off of our list at the end of the day? Morning prayers? Check. Pray before meals? Check. Tithe? Check. Read scripture at the end of the day? Check. You get the picture. So God gets a check, but during our day we are doing something else, too...we are being friends, husband, wives, daughters, sons, siblings, and parents. We are growing closer to our loved ones by spending time with them. Often I lay in bed on a Sunday night after spending a significant time with my husband and I think to myself, "I am so in love with Joel". I love him more and more as I spend more time growing closer to him- learning more about him and his heart. So what happens then if I use this principle in my relationship with God? What happens if I spend more and more time with my Lord and my Savior- my Father and my Friend? The hope is that I begin to love him more; I begin to cherish his heart more.

Spend time doing whatever it is that brings you closer to God, whether that be taking a walk, reading his word, playing sports, practicing yoga, meditating, or taking a candlelit bath. Be still in his presence. Allow your heart to be strangely warmed by his love for you. And at last, be all aflame.