The heart is for flames. The soul yearns for fire.
The human heart offers itself upon the altar of sacrifice to be consumed. To what does the heart give itself? On what altar is the sacrificial fire burning? What fire consumes our heart? With what is it enflamed? What passion consumes us?
Looking across the landscape of human experience we can discern many sources of fire. Most of us have experienced the fire and warmth that romance kindles within. When we've found that special someone, a fire begins to consume and warm what before might have been a cold heart. Most of us have never felt so alive, so warmed within, so passionate. For many this type of fire is so much to be desired that they will seek to kindle this flame with romance novels and movies when it is absent in a personal relationship We long to be so consumed. The heart is for flames the soul yearns for fire.
Alcohol is another way that one seeks to kindle a fire within. Nations experience epidemic abuse of this socially accepted means of meeting the hearts yearning. The scriptures talk about those who seek wine until they are 'enflamned' by it. Most often it is a deeper thirst than a dry throat that many seek to quench. In pubs across the world multitudes spend hour upon hour at wooden altars upon which they rest their elbows in prayerlike fashion while kindling a slow burn within, until their hearts "burn like an oven." Hosea 7.6 The heart is for flames .The soul yearns for fire.
In these ways and a multitude of others the heart, being the desperate lonely hunter that it is, goes about seeking an altar on which to offer itself a sacrifice to be consumed. Needy the human heart will become enflamed with lust, greed, hatred, love (true and false), religion, idolatry,witchcraft, drugs, money, and on and on, "enflaming itself with idols under every green tree." Isaiah 57.5
The prophet adressed this issue when he wrote, "Behold, ye that kindle a fire, that compass about yourselves with sparks: walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This ye shall have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sosrrow." Isaiah 50.11 Not coming to the Lord for fire we all will seek something or other to warm us within. Just as nature abhors a vaccuum so the human heart abhors the absence of fire. We all yearn to feel alive, we want to relieve the tension and the boredome; to fight the fear and the lonliness. Looking for that which is beyond ourselves, there are many lights that attract our attention from without. All mankind flocks to divers fires for light and warmth. The heart is for flames the soul yearns for fire. But God's judgment upon life that is not found in Him is evident. There are sad eyes everywhere. Joy has withered away from the sons and daughters of men. The rivers dry up, the land mourns, the harvest is not plentiful; all because men and women choose their own way, following after the desires of their own heart, mind and imagination. The heart is for flames and the soul yearns for fire but mankind walking in the light of their own fires have this from the Lord's hand - they lie down in sorrow. In times past an empty hearth meant a cold house. But where a fire burned within the inhabitants could rest comfortably. Likewises the human heart is restless until it finds its rest in God
"His throne was like the fiery flame..." the prophet proclaimed (Daniel 7.9). God will consume the heart with a fire that will always be burning. While all other fires burn out and leave the user sick and full of sorrow and pain the fire of God burn with health and vitality, sure and etrernal.Jesus, proclaiming the salvation that would come after his departure and knowing the need and hunger of fallen hearts promised,"Ye shall be be baptized whith the Holy Ghost and with fire," The romantic finds true love. The alcoholic a fire that gives joy and does not live sick and sorrowful. Men and woman, abandoning vain pursuits find their lives warmend with purpose and divine favor. Our spiritual house becomes a place of comfort and rest.
The heart is for flames the soul yearns for fire and God who gives freely to those who ask Him also provides the needed heartfire. " ,,,how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask."