“And I did say burnin’, Mister Oats, ‘cos that’s what it’d be. You say that people don’t burn folk and sacrifice people anymore, but that’s what true faith would mean, y’see? Sacrificin’ your own life, one day at a time, to the flame, declarin’ the truth of it, workin’ for it, breathin’ the soul of it. That’s religion. Anything else is just… is just bein’ nice. And a way of keepin’ in touch with the neighbours”

Yesterday I used this quote to indicate that I am currently burning with the desire to know more of the magnificence of my FATHER and His creation. Then I started thinking what this burning would really mean. I have no knowledge of the writers religious beliefs, but I do think he makes astonishing observations about the way we try to live the life.

I sure am glad people don’t burn  and sacrifice people anymore, mainly because I think “me and mine” would all have been burned.  If we lived a few hundred years ago, we surely would have been in serious trouble.  We do not support the contemporary kind of christianity.  We do not attend church on Sundays, or any other day for that matter.  We do not think that reading your Bible is going to add that much to your relationship with God, albeit I must admit, it would add to your knowledge of Him and who He is.  We do not believe and we do not teach our children to believe that being “bad” would make God angry with you.  We do not believe that He would strike us with lightning if we admit that we are dissapointed or angry with Him.  We do not think that He would see us as disrespectfull of Him if we pray with open eyes, looking at the mountains, or the ceiling, if that is all there is . We live our lives in utter adoration of the one and only living God.  We search for Him, we believe that what we know is but a minute, and most probably an askew, view of who He really is.  We believe that He wants to befriend us, to love us and have us love Him back.  We believe our Father can, and wants to, talk to us directly.  He does not need an interpreter, or some kind of “anointed” leader to talk for Him.  He is capable of talking to us, and we are capable of hearing Him.  So basically, we are heretics.  We are supposed to be burned on the stake . 

I must also admit, even though in modern times no fiery stakes are used anymore, you can still be burned.  So yes, we did suffer our part of being burned by scorn, by being rejected or simply being ignored.  It is upsetting and it hurts, but it does not really feel like the “burning” .

Actually, that burning, that flaming fire, should be something that pours out of us.  Like Granny Weatherwax said: “Sacrificin’ your own life, one day at a time, to the flame, declarin’ the truth of it, workin’ for it, breathin’ the soul of it.”  Nestus always say it is like falling into the Sun (Son).  Having His life inside of me, should be like having a big, bright burning star shining out of me. 

Flaming Fire

His life, vibrant, burning, life giving, warming and energizing.   That life would be sacrificing ( that is in His nature), uncompromising, giving love, changing me and others, making a difference.  That life would make it possible for me to love my enemy, to turn the other cheek, to walk the second mile, to give give my cloak and my tunic, not to demand back what is mine,

“because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (Luke 6) 

Now I want to challenge you, try to do all these things by yourself, and see how quickly your own fire will burn down, your beautifull works turn to ashes. Alternatively, let HIM BE THE FIRE …