Fire in the Bones

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

It is written: “…I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me. …Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay..” (Jer. 20:7, 9)

I remember when I was saved, when I was forgiven of my ungodly sins, when Jesus cleansed and made my soul whiter than snow. I remember that day Jesus became my all in all, the very breath of my life. I remember that awesome joy of coming to know Jesus the Christ personally. I remember the excitement that swallowed me up in the depths of His love. I remember thinking and being overwhelmed with the idea that everyone has just got to know about this great salvation, this freedom from the bondage of sin, this blessed hope of eternal life, this great unspeakable joy of the heart and soul. I thought everyone possessing what I have ought to be out there telling everyone else so that they too might experience this great salvation. Oh, the flood of the Holy Spirit was indescribable, and the power of excitement was beyond comprehension. I didn’t know whom to tell first, so I told everyone. It was like finding mega tons of treasure that a million people couldn’t haul off in a million years. Come! There was enough for all. Oh, what a joyous time that was. But where did all that fire of excitement go?

Perhaps, like the Prophet Jeremiah, the rejections and the mocking have taken their toll. Perhaps all the church woes caused by cold, carnal hypocritical hearts have poured too much icy water on the fires of passion. Perhaps the constant weariness of the battle with the ceaseless attacks upon the spirit has left too many scars. Nonetheless, like Jeremiah the thought comes, “Why bother, they really do not want to hear?” Men do not really care about their spiritual well being.

In spite of this, in the well of living waters there are heavenly waters mixed with the tears of Jesus, so sweet and so refreshing. Here there is abundant fuel for the fire burning within the bones. Sometimes the fire seems all but extinguished, and then like a man parched upon desert sands, Jesus comes and waters the fire within my bones. He stirs the slumbering cords again and refreshes the everlasting joys.