Come and sit by the fire
Every morning in the winter in Washington, I make a cup of coffee in the dark kitchen and sit on the front of our fireplace to fight the early mornings chill. It is my favorite place to start the day, wrapped in a blanket feeling the heat of the fire on my back. And after a little while I can turn off the fireplace and still feel the warmth lingering. I no longer ache to climb back into bed, but feel ready to begin moving around my house to start chores, wake up children and face the tasks of the day.
To pray and reflect on God’s goodness is similar to my day starting by the fire. We come to the Light to find rest, warmth and peace. It isn’t just bringing the prayer requests of the day and leaving them on the throne room floor (though that’s important), but asking the Light to bring healing to the depths of our soul. There is no objective when I come to the fire except to feel warmth. There is no objective when I sit with Christ except for dwelling with the Creator of Peace to orient my heart.
Long after the fire is out, the warmth still radiates and I desire to linger just a little longer. When I’ve experienced time in God’s presence I don’t feel a need to rush to the next activity or check off the box of complete, I just want to linger a few minutes – thankful for the peace I have in the moment. The warmth of the lingering fire beckons me to carry the warmth with me to fight against the chill of the morning.
Time in God’s Word, reflecting and meditating on His promises, filling my soul with His goodness has the power to walk me through the chill of the earth. The chill that attempts to steal my joy, lures me to compare, begs me to be offended, and entices me with its temporary luster. God is enough, but the only way He can be enough to me is if I keep returning to the fire to gain warmth before stepping back out into the cold.
How ridiculously unkind if I have a found a source to gain warmth and peace, a source that never goes out and I don’t invite those around me to come sit by the fire. So come. Come and sit by the fire. Come and experience a warmth and peace that lasts throughout the cold winters morning chill and brings hope that is eternal.
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2