I have a small wax-melting plug-in in our hall bathroom. I turned it on the other day and discovered the light bulb that heats the wax and acts like a nightlight had burned out. Bob was headed off to the store at the time, so I gave him the bulb and asked him to get a replacement, which he did. I plugged in the appliance and voila I had light. When I checked later, I saw that while I had light, the wax had not melted. There was no fragrance. In checking, I found that Bob had bought a 5-watt bulb instead of a 15-watt. While the bulb served as a light, it didn’t have enough power to get hot and melt the wax to release the fragrance.
At Bible Study last Wednesday, we were discussing the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. When we come to Christ Jesus for salvation, the Scriptures are quite clear that we receive both Christ and the Holy Spirit. Our inner man, our hearts become the dwelling place of God.
Jesus told us that when the Spirit came, He would bring light. He would lead us and guide us into all truth, illuminating Christ’s words and ways. That’s a given. But Jesus also told His disciples when He ascended into heaven to wait for the power of the Spirit … that power would be used to witness and take the Gospel into all nations.
On the Day of Pentecost, the power of the Holy Spirit fell upon those gathered in the Upper Room. He came like fire! “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit …” [Acts 2:3-4]
Jesus’ disciples went forth in power. They took the fragrance of God’s Son into every corner of the known world. Perhaps we’ve settled for less than we might … we’ve welcomed the light but failed to wait and seek the fire.
It is the fire of the Spirit that melts our hearts in submission to Christ Jesus’ LORD-ship. It is the fire of the Spirit that releases the fragrance of our God to all we meet. Let’s seek the fire.
