Enter
Bring to mind a time you were comforted near fire. Bring to mind a time you were scared by fire. Bring to mind a time when you were in awe of the force of fire.
Hear
'I baptise you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry His sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.' [Luke 3:16]
Why does John the Baptist emphasise that the one coming after him will baptise with fire? John's baptism of repentance was in water. Water cleans and washes – it takes the dirt and grime from the outside. But it doesn't change the inside. It doesn't alter what the thing is, in itself. But fire melts things down, it re-forms, re-shapes and re-constitutes. When the Holy Spirit was poured out from heaven, we are told there appeared on each of them something like a tongue of fire. The fire of the Spirit comes to us to re-create us. Only Jesus can bring us this baptism. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to remake us. Whilst we understandably are drawn to the warmth of the fire of his love, we often shrink back from being remade in his crucible.
Respond
In what ways may the fire of the Spirit remake you? As you name your five before the Lord let the truth that the fire of the Spirit can bring about a change within them that is only possible by God kindle your hope.
Pray
'Come Holy Spirit … remake me and those I lift before You with the fire of Your love.'
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