November 3. Stacking Or Smoldering.

Leaders know that intentions are not enough. It is the results that matter because our intentions do not deliver value, our team’s actions do. It might help to think of your team being responsible for providing warmth. In the spring, they set up camp in the wilderness.

They gather and cut wood. You point out great logs and trees to burn. You choose hard woods that burn hot and for a long time. They stack and split the wood. They even cover it for the winter, allowing it to dry. But eventually when warmth is needed, when the fire is needed, we need a match put under the tinder.

The tinder must light, and then the flame begins to rise, catching the larger wood above it on fire. Throwing a match at the fire will not necessarily get it started. No fire, no warmth. Lighting the match and only using it to light a lantern will not heat the entire camp.

Dropping a lit match into the lake will not start the fire either. You can have great people in camp as well but that will not light the fire. I am sure that your team has great people but who is going to light the fire? You can have great resources available for your team.

They may have great firewood, fire rings, and awesome matches. They can even have great expectations and intentions and think, "This fire is going to be so glorious and warming to everyone around it." But what will seal the deal is someone lighting the match.

You can also find a spark or ember and set the tinder smoldering and into flame. Where have you allowed your intentions to be enough? That is like having stacked firewood. It does not warm anyone. The leader is accountable for the lighting of the fire. What might you do to light it today?

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we have accepted a new life. But the living water of Jesus is miraculous. We are called to be passionate in our faith, to live it and to love from it. That is action. Our intentions are not enough. We read, “But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year.” Hebrews 10:3 NLT.

In the Old Testament, the blood sacrifices were apologetic and showed intentions. And over time, they were weak at best. But they had to be done over and over because the action to change did not occur. When we accept Christ, and truly accept that we want him in our lives, we begin a relationship.

When that happens, our hearts will want the warmth of his fire. Where have you been satisfied this year with intentions? Maybe it is time to stop stacking wood and get revived for Christ. No more just piling or gathering tinder. No more being satisfied with gathering flint to make a spark.

Let us ask God to blow on the smoldering tinder and allow the love of Christ to create warmth. Be the one who is accountable to start the fire. What is the first thing that you can do about it in the next seven days?

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you have provided us with so much. You have given us Christ, the wisdom of the Bible and a church to support us. Comfort us today as we prepare our hearts and minds to be in action for you. Let our hearts be warmed through your love for us.

Allow us to transform the smoldering opportunities of this world into a fire of revived people. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,