What I Pondered (almost) Wednesday #6

Even though it's only 10:50 PM on Tuesday here in Seoul, I had to share what's on my heart. I downloaded A.W. Tozer's The Pursuit of God almost entirely because it was free. That way if I disagreed with Tozer's point of view, I could easily move on to another book sans guilt. I've only read the preface but I can already tell this is a book I would have gladly paid for.

"Others before me have gone much farther into these holy mysteries than I have done, but if my fire is not large it is yet real, and there may be those who may light their candle at its flame."

A.W. Tozer

It's far too easy to get caught up in comparisons. It's far too easy to look at others and say "well I can never be like them. Why bother?"

It's far too easy to forget that even the smallest of flames, if genuine, can light another. Think about a candlelight vigil: one match lights one tiny candle which in turn lights dozens of others. Suddenly a space that was filled with darkness is filled with the soft glow of candles. Faces are illuminated in their glow and you become aware of your surroundings. All of this happens not because of a blow torch or a bonfire but because of one small match.

The light of Christ is similar: it starts so small but then it spreads, almost imperceptibly at first. Standing at the back of a candlelight vigil, you can't see that first candle being lit. For the first person to light their candle it the vigil, it's easy to turn around and see the flame spreading.

Unfortunately so often the light of Christ is just the opposite. He lights Your candle and you can't see other candles being lit from yours. You might see one or two candles lit. But just like at that vigil, the smallest of flames can spread quite far & illumine quite a large area.

It's easy to think that your candle is too small and that you're not lighting any other candles. But you are. No matter how small your flame may be, it can still light another flame. And that is our mission in Christ.