Eternal Fire: A Devotion
This devotion was written by Barrett Loehrer.
There were two men, each tasked with building a fire to make it through the cold night. One man built an extravagant display of wood, stacked high and wide in complicated design. The second man stacked his wood low, in a seemingly disorganized way. The first man was applauded and praised for his talents, while the second man was mocked and ridiculed for his foolishness and lack of showmanship. Night fell, and people began to leave, until only the fire builders were left. The first man was troubled by his display, as it was too substantial and extravagant to sustain a flame. He was without fire for food, warmth, and protection from the beasts, and he did not make it through the night. The second man, however, remained huddled over his humble fire, which brought him safely to the rise of dawn and a new day.
Only a fool celebrates over firewood that will not burn.
Why, then, do we continue to dwell on the things that will not matter a decade from now, and will come to nothing at the judgement? We cannot take our earthly glory and achievements with us into the Kingdom of God. “And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17, ESV).” Let us focus on the eternal things that truly matter and quit touching the Glory which belongs to the Sovereign Lord of Heaven and Earth.
Only a fool glories in that which perishes. Live for the New Day.
“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire (1 Corinthians 3:11-15, ESV).”
