I’m Burning
Many years ago, my brother dated a girl who was both cute and sweet. She was the kind of girl who sat cross-legged on the couch and giggled the most precious giggle at opportune moments in a conversation. She didn’t offer her opinion unless you asked for it. She was smart and sensible and dressed to the nines. I used to sit and watch her, study her to see just how she did it. Just how did she captivate all in a room? I began to mimic this sweet girl. In group settings, I would ask myself What would Giggles do? (We’ll call her that for the purpose of this discussion.)
Giggles would not offer loud-mouthed witty replies to all around. And neither did I. Giggles would not add sarcastic commentary to the topic at hand. And neither did I. And do you know what happened my sweet friends? I burned! No kidding. Inside me witty comments and goofy remarks swirled in a volcanic abyss just waiting to erupt. And I sat with my mouth painfully pinched, legs crossed, and tried desperately to giggle at opportune moments in the conversation. With mouth pinched, those giggles sounded much more like snorts.
After several days of my smoking volcanic insides, I could take it no longer. I realized I had to be me –even if no one would ever refer to me as Giggles years later. I burned to be who I was.
In the Old Testament, we find Jeremiah with a similar burning desire to speak. But if I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. (Jeremiah 20:9 NIV) Jeremiah could not hold it in any more than I could. Except Jeremiah wasn’t trying to hold in witticisms. Dear ones, Jeremiah could not hold in the Word of God.
Now that is powerful. Oh, that I would feel that strongly about our Heavenly Father! How about you? Do you have a burning desire to share what the Lord has done in your life? Does His Word stir until it erupts from your heart and mouth?
Father, thank you for being such an awesome God. Thank you for the testimony of Jeremiah. Please instill that kind of passion in me. Let me burn with desire to share all the good things You have done. I pray this in Your Holy Name. Amen.
