My first church was a blank slate — a place with no members — where God allowed me to walk alongside a growing church family for 12 incredible years. Recently, my wife, Shirlene, and I returned to celebrate the church’s 25th anniversary — a special homecoming.
As we gathered in a circle of familiar faces, we shared stories, laughter and reflections with fellow leaders who had walked this journey with us. It filled our hearts with gratitude to God.
Yet, amidst the joy, a heaviness lingered as I noticed some who had once been key figures in our community had drifted away; their fire and love for God and His church had dimmed.
This got me thinking: Many of us work in the church, either as an employee or a dedicated lay leader. Every day, we have the incredible privilege to carry on the work that Jesus started long ago when He started His church. At the same time, we must remember that the work we do for the church can never replace spending time with Jesus.
We can be dedicated, even devoted, to our work for the church, and at the same time, our fire for Jesus can go out.
The book of Leviticus serves as a guide to holy living, detailing how to worship, make offerings, conduct personal lives, interact with one another and live in community. Lev. 6:8–13 contains a simple reminder to always keep the fire burning on the altar.
In verse 12, we find, “And the fire on the altar shall be kept burning and it shall not be put out.”
When you are on a camping trip, you know the importance of a good campfire to warm you up in the early morning hours.
God lit a fire in each of our lives and we are charged to maintain this fire. We are to be caretakers, to be stewards of this fire because it can go out if we’re not careful.
It’s an easy trap to fall into, to not stoke the fire, because of the general business of life. Yet the priest, the believer, is to add firewood, every morning, and not at some random time throughout the day. Notice how this passage has no reference to the evening.
Now, I confess, I didn’t start out as a morning person. I used to get up at the last possible moment before rushing off to school or work. Once I became a Christian, this habit lingered, so I nurtured a good devotional life in the evenings.
During a spiritual struggle, I sought counsel from a pastor friend. He asked me, “How much time are you spending with God every day?”
I told him about my evening routine and asked him, “Isn’t that good?”
His response stung: “It’s great if you want to keep from sinning in your sleep.”
Those words prompted me to make one of the hardest changes in my life: I changed my schedule.
Here’s what I’ve learned since that eventful conversation: What you focus on in the morning shapes the rest of your day. It influences your thoughts, attitudes and behaviors.
By committing to stoke your spiritual fire each morning, you’ll find strength for the day ahead. If you’ve struggled with this and your morning spark feels dim, it’s okay to add fuel throughout the day — just don’t neglect those vital morning moments.
It doesn’t matter what yesterday was like or how your fire felt at bedtime; each day offers a chance to reignite that flame. While it’s easy to think people drift away when their fire goes out, remember you can’t drift too far in just one day. Yes, you may have off days, but by restarting each morning, you won’t fall away. Your fire will stay lit.
This lesson from Leviticus reminds us that it’s our responsibility to rise each morning and add fuel to our fire. By prioritizing prayer and spiritual nourishment at the start of each day, we can ensure that our passion for sharing our faith burns brightly.
As you continue reading this issue, I encourage you to reflect on how cultivating a morning routine can empower your evangelism efforts and deepen your connection with God.
