Leviticus 6:12-13

¹² 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. ¹³ The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out.

. What makes the fire go out? Too much ash and lack of fresh fire wood. God has made us priests in our homes, in our work places and in our lives. He commands us never to allow the fire on the alter go out. When we allow the challenges of live, our relationships, our experiences cloud us, they can easily put out the fire. Remove the ashes and throw them away by being forgiving and loving. Don’t burden your heart with un necessary burdens, travel light. Add fresh fire word by walking with God and reading his word and fellowshipping with others

 

Jer. In chapter 4:3b-4a tells us to break our unplowed grounds and not to saw among thorns. He also advices us to circumcise our hearts.

I have had the privilege (or is it experiencing the pain) of converting a bush into a shamba severally and I think this is the hardest and most painful thing I’ve ever had to do. There’s the bush clearing, the uprooting of the shrubs and trees. Burning the bushes and thorny shrubs which poke you in the process. The digging and the harrowing.  It surely is a harrowing experience. Yet if you must plant, you have no choice but to go through the experience for you can’t saw among thorns and grass.

This is how our walk with God is. If we are to live with him eternally, we need to work on our heart. Clear it off the small foxes, the small sins that so easily entangles, clear the hate, the jealousy, the backbiting, the self-righteousness, the judging etc. This is a process we need to consciously embark on. It is not easy, it has its own pains and challenges, but there is no short cut. The good thing is, we don’t do it alone, the holy spirit makes the process easier, just that you must invite him for He can’t force himself. Let pray with David that God may create in us a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit within us.

When we read about the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) we tend to focus more on this good Samaritan and aspire to be like him. But unfortunately, most of us are worse than the priest or the Levite who left the man to die, we  are the robbers who beat up this man. We are the robbers beating our fellow Christian and leaving them in the cold to die. We strip them off with our words and judging them as we play God. Regarding them as of lesser spiritual standards (adopting the rats cockroaches and people like us concept). Someone said the church army is the only institution that kills its wounded soldiers. Are we the kind of Christians who kill our wounded soldiers, leave them to die in the wilderness, or do we pick them up, cover them and walk with them? Are we too ashamed to be associated with our struggling Christians. Are we ready to go to their level, understand them and walk with them? God is asking us to show care and love to our wounded brothers. We are called to be shepherds to provide care and support. To care for those life is pushing out of the road, not to kill what is remaining of them. How can we claim to love God whom we have never seen and fail to love those in our midst?

 Parting shot 

DON’T JUDGE SOMEONE JUST BECAUSE THEY SIN DIFFERENTLY, DON’T JUDGE SOMEONE WHO FAILS A TEST YOU YOURSELF HAVE YET TO PASS. DON’T JUDGE SOMEONE UNTILL YOU’VE CRAWLED INTO HIS SKIN AND WALKED AROUND A BIT. DON’T JUDGE SOMEONE UNTILL YOU KNOW THEIR CONVERSATION WITH GOD IN THE CLOSET