There are a number of songs that describe what Embers is about, and what we are aiming for when we work with people. We haven’t written any of the songs so we don’t own the copyright, but we’ll mention some of them from time to time and put a link in if you’d like to hear them.
One that I can’t stop listening to at the moment is ‘Soul On Fire’ by Third Day. Click the button below to listen to the song on YouTube.
The lyrics, some of which are below, speak of someone longing for God, not just a vague fancying but a deep desire which is pushing them to run. This isn’t a gently jog, or a slow meander but running, full throttle, for God.
God, I’m running for Your heart I’m running for Your heart Till I am a soul on fire Lord, I’m longing for Your ways I’m waiting for the day When I am a soul on fire Till I am a soul on fire
Lord, let me burn for You again Let me return to You again And Lord, let me burn for You again And let me return to You again
What would I mean for you to be a ‘soul on fire’ for God?
We would love to hear your thoughts, and to help fan that flame in you!
Some of my favourite plants are weeds!! Don’t get me wrong, I love a beautiful rose, I find green flowers eminently interesting and there is something stunning about the way water beads and rolls off a lupin leaf…but still, some of my favourite plants are weeds.
Dictionary.com defines a weed as ‘any valueless, undesirable or troublesome plant that grows profusely where it is not wanted, especially one that grows on cultivated ground to the exclusion or injury of the desired crop.’ They sound like a bit of a nightmare don’t they? Anyone who has attempted to keep a garden or allotment will know that weeding is one of the biggest jobs, and no matter how clever your planting scheme is or how deep you mulch, weeds will always make their way through.
In day to day life we can sometimes, often inadvertently, treat people like weeds. Maybe our harsh tone makes someone feel unwanted. When we are so wrapped up in our own business and in the important things we have to deal with maybe others around us feel of little or no value. Sometimes others can make us feel like weeds too…if we are trying really hard at something and someone brushes away our best effort as useless we could feel worthless, if we need help with something and are struggling to find that help we may feel unwanted.
‘The world’ has a way of making us feel like weeds…you don’t have to look far on instagram to find a seemingly perfect mother who finds time to exercise and keep in shape, she has beautiful well dressed children who are always smiling and unnervingly clean, her house is immaculate and her garden is pristine. I see that and instantly feel unacceptable, my lived in house and dishevelled appearance is only matched by my, albeit beautiful, kids who wear mismatched clothes and have stains for every tumble, scrape and mud pie that has happened during the day. I haven’t exercised in years but if I can find clean clothes that’s a bonus!! I’m sure there is an equivalent for every walk of life. That person who earns more than you, that church that has more people attending than yours, that football team which is doing better than yours, that person who always seems to be one step ahead of you…these things can get under your skin and leave you feeling worthless and unacceptable.
So why all the talk about weeds, and why do I like weeds so much?? Well have you looked at them? I mean actually looked at them? Have you ever counted the petals on a daisy? Or really looked at the tiny blue flowers of a forget-me-not? Have you ever got up close and personal with a clover flower and truly appreciated its petals and colour?
Recently I saw a meadow salsify in its seed-head form…it was STUNNING. After showing it to Zoe and encouraging her to blow it like a dandelion clock I looked round for another…just look at the delicacy of each seed, each thin silk like parachute fitting with the one next to it to form this flawless beautiful pom-pom. Look at the unique curve on each seed so it fits perfectly next to the other seeds to form the globe in the picture. All that detail for something generally unwanted by most.
What does all this mean for me or you? Jesus made those weeds, it says in the bible that God cares for the grass, and weeds, in the field which are here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will he care for us (Luke 12:28). We may feel like weeds because of other people’s attitudes and behaviours towards us but God says we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), that our name is written on the palm of his hand (Isaiah 49:16), that we are outrageously loved (Ephesians 3:18-19), that we are the apple of his eye (Zechariah 2:8).
But this isn’t an exercise in patting ourselves on the back, how are we to behave towards others? Jesus didn’t listen when people told him that he shouldn’t be spending time with weeds like sinners and tax collectors, foreigners and enemies of the jews, women…let alone women with questionable morals, the sick, the dying…the dead! Jesus saw the beauty in all those people. When everyone else saw unwanted, worthless, cast outs, Jesus saw precious children of God who are covered by grace, forgiven and adopted into God’s family.
Next time you walk past a daisy or see a dandelion clock, catch your leg on a nettle or have sticky weed stuck to you by some mischievous toddler remember you are not a weed in God’s eyes…and neither is anyone else! Who is God bringing to mind for you to encourage…who needs to hear that they are not valueless, undesirable or troublesome? Maybe you could collect a little bunch of beautiful ‘weeds’ and tell them what God thinks of them! You could even get them with sticky weed at the same time!!
As I walked home from a course earlier in the summer I was surprised to notice the street lights weren’t on yet. It was 9:45pm!! I was going along the main road that I live on and as I passed each street light I noticed it flickered on. It made me smile, as though I was somehow causing the street lights to jump into action. I knew it was the sensor on top of each lamp post, but still…I liked to think somehow my presence illuminated that little bit of street.
It got me thinking…as a follower of Jesus I have the ability to be ‘light’ in each situation I am in. That doesn’t mean I’m some incredible oracle who knows everything. It also doesn’t mean I have to be the life and soul of every gathering I am part of, but when we ask Jesus to be in charge of our life we are asking him to come and live inside of us and Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12)!! If I am genuinely bringing Jesus into my everyday life then how am I allowing the light of Jesus to shine through?
When I go shopping do I keep my head down and plough through the list as quickly as possible avoiding eye contact with everyone around me or do I look up and smile at those around me, for some of those people you may be the only smile they see all day! When I’m with my kids and we see something that makes them ask questions, like a homeless man sitting begging, do I briskly brush off the conversation and walk away or do I engage with the questions and explain that not everyone has the same opportunities as we do and some people don’t have all that we have, maybe we should buy them a sandwich and a cup of tea. At the end of the day when I’ve been busy all day and so has my husband do I get grumpy with him because I’ve used up all my patience during the day, or do I explain how I’m feeling and ask how he is feeling and talk together, or even pray together!!
In every situation I find myself in I can choose how I respond. Do I allow my human nature to guide my response bringing darkness, confusion and maybe even pain. Or do I allow my inner light to shine and invite Jesus into every situation bringing hope, light and love?
