WORDS about the WORD

Albany Ministerial Alliance — OFFICERS —

President.............. Luke Spraberry V-President............ Paul J ohnston By Stan Allcorn First Baptist Church Each year at Christmas time, New Yorkers enjoy a “Yule Log.” Television station WPIX zooms its cameras in on a fireplace and broadcasts a blazing fire from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. on Christmas morning. All across the city, New Yorkers tune their televisions to the picture of the roaring fire and pretend that they have a fireplace in the room. Each year this Christmas morning feature has the highest Nielsen ratings for any program in its time slot.

In a world of increasing urbanization, finding a real fireplace is difficult. Gas logs have taken the place of many wood fireplaces. I have heard that they will soon be bringing out a microwave fireplace. The ad for the new microwave fireplace proclaims, “You can spend a relaxing evening in front of the fire…in just eight minutes.”

There is something nostalgic and intriguing about a fireplace. However, in recent years when we have experienced power outages because of ice and snow, the home fireplace has provided more than just aesthetic pleasure. Many of us have relied on its warmth to heat and light our homes and help cook our meals.

But whether for mere enjoyment or dire necessity, once lit you cannot leave the fire unattended. You must tend the fire periodically by throwing on another log. If you let the fire go out, you could soon find yourself in the dark, cold and hungry.

It works that way in the Christian life. The Apostle Paul wrote his young friend Timothy and said, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you.” (2 Timothy 1:6). Timothy, like all believers, had received a spiritual gift from God. The gift brought warmth and light to himself and all those around him. But he could not expect that gift to continue to burn brightly without giving it some attention.

It was that way for Jesus as well. In the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark we find Jesus ministering in the home of Simon Peter’s motherin- law, a woman whom Jesus had just healed of a serious fever. Nearly the entirepopulationofCapernaum crowded around the door of the house as Jesus preached about His Father’s kingdom and continued to perform miracles of healing.

Then Mark 1:35 tells us that after that extremely busy and, no doubt, draining day and night of ministry, “in the early morning, while it was still dark – He (Jesus) arose and went out and departed to a lonely place and was praying there.” Jesus understood the value of spending time alone with God in prayer and private worship… the power of solitude. It is akin to stirring up the embers and fanning the flame so that the fire may continue to burn.

Martin Luther, the great reformer of the 16th century,wouldsayonthose days that were extra chaotic, when he seemingly had a thousand tasks to accomplish: “I am going to be so busy today that I will pray two hours this morning instead of one.”

That’s not our usual way of thinking, is it? When the pressures of the world begin to mount, we tend to rush into our two-minute offense trying to beat the clock. Armed with our long list of things to do and our two cups of coffee, we charge out the door ready to tackle another stressed-filled day. But are we really ready? Do we not often confuse busyness and activity with genuine accomplishment and spiritual growth?

After Jesus’ baptism at theJordanRiver,beforeHe began His public ministry, He immediately entered into the wilderness of Judea where he prayed and fasted alone for 40 days. Reflecting on this experience Dallas Willard writes, “Itwasanimportantdayin my life when I understood that if He (Jesus) needed 40 days in the wilderness at one point, I very likely could use three or four.”

Indeed, if the Son of God needed time alone with the Father to discern the Father’s will, there’s not much chance of you or me figuring it out amidst the howling noise that constantly surrounds us.

To be transformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29) we must tend the fire and rekindle the flame in our walk with God…daily. We do not grow into Christlikeness in a single day. However, every single day of our Christian journey calls for intentional time spent with the Lord.