Sacred Fire

Growing up, my favorite singer of all-time was this amazing artist named Margaret Becker. Filled with powerhouse vocals, artistic lyrics, driven guitar, and heart-felt passion, her songs marked the chapters of my teenage years. One of her songs has captured the image of being on fire for God more than any other song I've heard. I'd like to share the words with you. As you read, may your heart be stirred and set ablaze.

Sacred Fire

by Margaret Becker

(From the album Never For Nothing)

Fire of separation

Fire of sacrifice

Fire of purifying heat

Burned on rocky altars

Through the ancient nights

Now that fire's burning deep in me

My heart is the altar

I am the priest

My life's the only sacrifice

This sacred fire needs

Sacred fire

Burn Your mark on me

With Your flame brand the Name

For everyone to see

Sacred Fire

Burn Your mark on me

I am honored to be set apart

So burn Your ownership into my heart

Fire of refining

Fire of discipline

Burn away all my impurities

Fire of consecration

Carefully define

The image of the Holy One in me

I know that I am priveleged

To bear the sacred light

So I will lay down everything

To keep this flame alive

Sacred fire

Burn Your mark on me

With Your flame brand the Name

For everyone to see

Sacred fire

Wait for Me

"I am waiting for you, praying for you darling, wait for me too, wait for me as I wait for you..."

~ from Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James

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NOBLE KNIGHT AND LADY FAIR

Knights in shining armor, princesses waiting in a castle, a heroic tale of romance and adventure...this is the story every young man and woman dreams of. Whether harbored secretly in the hidden corner of our hearts or talked about openly with our friends, this dream is the most sacred and the most cherished to us all. We want the fairy tale. We want the happily-ever after. We want to be the heroes and heroines in this beautifully scripted saga. But does the dream really exist? Or are we all searching for an elusive fantasy?

Along this road of singleness, so many of us have endured heartbreak, disappointment, or discouragement. Some have made mistakes while others have walked with heads hung low in unworthiness and shame. Too many hearts have been broken, beaten, chopped up, and spewed out. Our lives have been strewn with the carnage of broken relationships, shattered promises, and crushed dreams. Disillusioned, we wonder what happened to the story we once longed to experience. Deep within ourselves we question if it is too late.

But God-written stories are never too late...nor are they impossible. For the stories He writes are made of this stuff called faith...and faith works in the realm of the unseen. God is adept at making the broken whole and restoring shattered dreams. He is faithful to wash away the scarred memories of the past and renew a better vision within us. The heart is a matter of great importance to our Father God, and He longs to fulfill our every pure desire. Although few of us may truly realize this, God actually has a plan for our love life! He is the author of romance, and if we follow it His way, we will be blown away by its splendor.

But in order to live the dream, we must first release it...and wait on Him.

HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?

Waiting on the Lord is something our generation knows little about. We've grown accustomed to an instant-on-demand lifestyle. We want to have things our way right away. But if we want God's best in our lives, we must learn to surrender our ways to His and allow Him to script this story for us.

To many, waiting seems like a slow, inactive process. If truth were told, most of us hate waiting. DMV lines, airport terminals, Wal-Mart check out lanes, traffic lights, doctor's offices...all of these waiting places conjure up horrific images of boredom and wasted time. I wonder how many hundreds of hours we've literally spent waiting in line for something, someone, or simply OUR turn? If the waiting exceeds our little expected slot of time, we get restless and figety...shoe tapping and all. Too much waiting, and our patience evaporates into thin air.

But God's waiting room is different than waiting in line at the dentist's office while the generic radio-friendly pop plays over the loudspeakers. His waiting room is not a bland sterile enviroment filled with zoned out bodies. In this place of waiting on the Lord, the music is sweet, the sound is pleasant, and a lovely fragrance permeates the air. We are not waiting on "something" to happen, nor are we waiting for the next guy to enter the church to be "the one." We are simply learning to wait...on Him.

And those of us who wait will not be ashamed.

There is a most precious verse in Psalms that is written for the waiting ones: "None who trust and wait hopefully and look for You will be put to shame or disappointed" (Ps. 25:3 AMP). What a beautiful promise to those who are truly seeking and waiting upon the Lord. We will not be disappointed or ashamed! Our waiting will prove itself out in wisdom and a happy ending.

FIRST-LOVE FIRE

Something truly magnificent happens in the process of waiting. In additon to our natural understanding of waiting, the word "wait" also means "a binding together" (Strongs Concordance). While we wait upon the Lord, we are being bound together with Him.

In this particular waiting room, our hearts are dregged of any impurities, any other longings, any selfish inclinations, and filled with the reality of our Lord. The waiting serves us one purpose: To become completely enraptured with our First Love. The waiting room is also a test of our character, integrity, motives, and purpose. Daily we learn to die to ourselves and our fleshly desires while taking up the cross of the Kingdom. It is a place where discipline is forged, hearts are purified, and purposes examined. Waiting is not for the faint of heart, for it is a process of fire and battle. It is a place where we lose ourselves and find all that we are in Him.

For a love story to have the signature of romance's true Author, we must first fall in love with the Author Himself. Everything we do and everything we are must be about Him and for Him. There is no room for "me" anymore. For a story to have Eternity's stamp of approval, it must be about Eternity's purpose. We're not just knights and princesses in a fairy-tale; we're knights and princesses in service of a King. There is Kingdom business to attend to, and we are the ones who must answer the call to arms.

So if it seems you've been waiting forever for your knight in shining armor to come sweep you off your feet, or if it seems like every woman you've met is not a true princess, don't become discouraged in your season of waiting. If you've experienced disappointments or heartbreak, simply give it to the Lord and allow Him to restore and renew His dream within you. Don't allow the opinions of others to determine your value; find out your true identity as a son or daughter of God. Dust off the dream of that incredible love story and live unihibited for your King. Learn the art of waiting on the Lord and becoming infused with His wonderous Presence. Pursue the King and run with fire fulfilling Kingdom purposes.

May we be the generation of young men and women who not only believe God for His best in our lives, but wait for His best as well. As our God-written love stories unfold, may we run hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder, united in heart and vision, pursuing the Kingdom's call and purpose. May we become true knights and princesses waiting passionately upon our Lord and King.

The Legacy of True Friendship

"You will never find a perfect friend, but you can choose people

with a good heart."

~Jim King

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In our instant on-the-go, paper-cup-coffee, grab-a-breakfast-bar-for-the-morning-commute society, we are programmed to choose things quickly, on demand, and disposable. Drive-through Starbucks, microwaveable dinners, downloadable music, and online shopping have shaped our generation for instant gratification without a close examination of quality and value. If we can't get our need met within a few minutes or days, we lose our patience and go on to something faster and more convenient.

With the incredible advances technology has made in recent years, it is no wonder we are unsatisfied with things that don't work our way right away. We're productive, tech-savvy, and quick on our feet, but sadly many of us have lost the ability to endure. We're quick to give up on things that often require an investment of our time, our efforts, our energy...and ourselves.

When it comes to friendships, we are more apt to disregard those who've disappointed us, left us, or don't appeal to our ego. We love freely, but only for a moment. Too often, we give up on people the Lord has placed in our lives and go for something shinier, prettier, or cheaper. But friendships are not like the breakfast bar you run out the door with in the mornings. They can't be consumed in a moment with the wrappings tossed in a trash can. Because of their richness and depth, real friendships take time to develop...and to be a true friend, we must learn to endure.

True friends are indeed a rare jewel in this day and age. We're constantly barraged with social contact every day, but acquaintances come and go. In the multitude of faces we meet on a daily basis, we need to discern between the facade and the reality, the temporary and the longlasting, the superficial and the deep. And once we find a true friend, may we determine to never let go regardless of the cost.

This week during my church's annual missions conference, one of the ministers talked much about the quality of relationships in the body of Christ. At 60 years old (or somewhere in that vicinity), he had some wisdom to share on this topic. A missionary and a minister for nearly 30 years, he has developed some quality friendships with other like-minded men and women of God.

Being a preacher's daughter myself, I have watched the same careful enduring friendships shape my parents' lives as well. Years ago, these men and women began friendships with other people who were of the same vision and purpose...and through the challenges of life, ministry, and marriage, these couples have kept each other encouraged and accountable in their race and calling. They have continued to pray for each other, financially support one another, and love each other through decades of good and seasons of hardship. These men and women have learned to value the preciousness of God-ordained relationships. And when the going got tough...well, they just got more determined to stick together.

One thing this minister said that really caught my attention was this: "I started my race with these guys and I'm going to finish with them." As I considered his words, I began to examine the relationships the Lord has placed in my life over the years. Many of the young men and women I've had the privilege of knowing have an incredible call of God on their lives for some specific service in the Kingdom. Now, more than ever, I am determined to hold the ropes for them and their ministries. Thirty years down the road, I want to look back and see an overflowing richness in this area of my life. Despite the challenges we may face in the future, I want to be the kind of friend that endures throughout all seasons of life.

So in the quick-get-it-now era, take time to invest in other people. Look for quality, not quantity. Run with those who are seeking after the very heart of God. When frustrations ensue, don't let it tear you apart from those strategic connections in your life. Allow love, not strife, to permeate your friendships like the most fragrant perfume. Learn to cherish the genuine instead of the trendy, the rare for the popular, and the profound for the surface. As we support one another in true Christ-like fashion, we will have relationships that can't be dumped out once the coffee gets cold. Instead, we'll have authentic friendships that are treasured for a lifetime.