Are you a beacon or an ember?

In the ancient city of Jerusalem they didn’t have street lights – they didn’t have electricity but they used fires to light their way up to the temple and the fires lit up the hill of Jerusalem so that it stood out like a beacon on a dark night and could be seen from miles away.

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden – Matthew 5:14

The lights of our cities today can even be seen from space. But are you a beacon light for God brightly burning with the fire of the Holy Spirit to show His light to others, or are you just a smouldering ember, barely holding on to faith. No judgement - we are all at different places in our walk with God and he deals with us one on one….as long as we are walking with him.

I remember a story about a Minister who went to visit one of his parishioners who hadn’t been to church in several weeks, he never spoke a word but came in sat down in the chair opposite his parishioner next to the fire. Then he reached out and taking the fireplace tongs removed a burning ember from the fire and set it alone on the side of the hearth. It sat there burning, then gradually cooled and went out – he then picked it up with the tongs and placed it back into the fire where it once more caught alight and began to brightly burn. Then he quietly got up and left. The parishioner got the point and was back in church on Sunday Morning.

An ember on its own will eventually cool and its light will go out. Those who have spent extended time unable to fellowship due to their circumstances; who have managed to maintain the fire of their faith, have had to work hard at doing so. Many Christians imprisoned for their faith and unable to attend a church have emerged from prison, maybe physically broken but spiritual giants, because we are never anywhere that God cannot find us. They were forced to rely on His presence alone. But it is far easier to attend church and spiritually charge your batteries in the atmosphere of corporate worship and fellowship – after all where 3 or more people gather in His name –He is there.