Today’s scripture: Mark 11: 22-24 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Robert Hicks-Ferguson):
“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire” ~author unknown
Recently I attended a conference that literally set my soul on fire. I was reminded of my passion for ministry and I found some hope again that my dreams could still come to pass. If you are anything like me you know what it means to have a dream that has yet to be realized. Many of us have become masters of the ‘excuse”. We may blame losing sight of our dreams and passions on lack of time, lack of resources, or lack of energy; but at the end of the day these are all simply excuses. Your passion is what sets your soul on fire. Think back to a time before you had responsibilities and mundane tasks pulling at your time and energy. What was it that excited you, called out to you and tugged at your heart? Do you have a dream or a goal that has been set aside while you forge through this thing called life?
What happens to the fire within us that causes us to jump out of bed each morning ready to seize the day and take one more step towards our dreams? The poet Langston Hughes poetically posed the question like this:
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over–like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
I believe sometimes life has a way of beating our dreams out of us. Financial constraints and daily responsibilities become mountains that stand between us and our dreams. Perhaps being an adult just douses our flame. Our fears of the unknown and fears of failure keep us tied down. Fear drives us to lose our fire and our passion.
When I read the verse for today, I hear Jesus telling the disciples that they have within them the power to move mountains. When we are connected to the one true power source, God, we are able to speak to our fears and conquer them. God calls us to speak to our dead dreams and act as if those things that we ask are already happening. Just as God said let there be light and there was light we too with Gods power within us reignite our dreams and bring them back to life.
I read a story about Harley Sheffield who became famous through an unfortunate mishap. Harley was part of a relay that was responsible for carrying the Olympic torch to the Atlanta games. His leg of the relay ran over the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Washington. While carrying the flame in a stand on his bicycle, Harleys back tire blew out. He lost control of the bike and the Olympic flame flickered out. The crowd cried out in disbelief and disappointment but the attenders of the torch knew exactly what to do. They reached into the van accompanying the torch grabbed another torch and lit it from the mother flame which always stays in the van and is always lit. The procession continued and the Olympic flame in Atlanta was eventually lit. I believe what happened to Harley happens to all of us on our Christian walk. We may stumble and fall and sometimes our spiritual fire gets doused. We wonder if we can ever feel the fire and passion again. But when we turn to God in earnest prayer believing that the same power that is within God is within us then we are able to be reconnected with the mother flame and our passions will be reignited. The Holy Spirit is the one who helps us reach our dreams. It is through fellowshipping with the spirit that we will grow to understand what God has in store for us.
Prayer for the day: God help me to turn to you when I feel that my goals and dreams are unattainable. Light my soul on fire Lord so that your glory is shown through me.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.