One of the images for the Holy Spirit in the Bible is that of a flame. The Spirit melts cold hearts and sparks hope within us—a hope that can be contagious.

I recently heard a parable that makes the point:

Once upon a time, there was a piece of iron, strong and hard. Many tried to break it, but all failed.
“I’ll master it,” said the axe. But each heavy blow only dulled the axe’s edge until it gave up in frustration.
“Leave it to me,” said the saw. It worked back and forth, but soon its teeth were broken and worn.
“I’ll show you how to do it,” said the hammer. But at the first fierce strike, its head flew off.
Then, the small soft flame said, “Shall I try?”
Everyone laughed, “What can you do? You’re too small. You have no strength.”
But the flame wrapped itself gently around the iron and never left it…
Until, finally, the iron melted under its warm, irresistible influence.

Pastor James Moore reflected on this story and wrote:

“There’s a sermon there. Perhaps it means God’s way is not the way of force, but love. God doesn’t break hearts—He melts them. And perhaps that is our calling too—to melt hearts under the warmth of God’s gracious love.”

The truth is, we live in a world with tremendous need. Lonely and hurting people are all around us—in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces. And there are so many opportunities for us to listen, to care, and to share Christ’s love.

In your own life, how might you show the irresistible warmth of God’s gracious love?

Let us pray:

Loving and gracious God, fill us again with your Holy Spirit. Melt our cold hearts and set us afire with hope— Hope that leads us to love boldly and make a difference in your name. Amen.

When I was in college, I worked for a short time in a little kite shop in St. Augustine. It was a cool job—making and selling kites and meeting all kinds of interesting people. One slow summer morning, I was straightening up the shop when two other college-aged kids walked in. They immediately approached me and said, “I want to introduce you to someone. Have you met my friend, Jesus?”

I was so taken by surprise that I didn’t know what to say. I guess my hesitancy was their cue to pounce. They began quoting chapter and verse, warning me I’d burn in hell if I didn’t get to know their friend immediately. I was afraid they might scare off any customers, and by the time I told them to hit the road, I was nearly convinced I’d rather burn in hell than spend eternity in heaven with people like them.

The thing is, I wasn’t involved in church at the time—but I was spiritually open. I knew I was missing something. Looking back, I can put my finger on that longing. I know now what I was missing then.

There was an opportunity for those kids to share God’s grace with me—but instead, they brought fear and judgment. They were definitely not a good witness to the beautiful message entrusted to us.

We have been entrusted with a beautiful message of grace and hope: that God loves this world, and each and every person in it. And we are called to share that message. The challenge is finding ways to do it with love.

Let us pray: Gracious God, we know that you have called us to be light in a world that is often dark. We all know people who are hurting. We all know people who have lost hope, who feel far from you. And yet, sometimes we pretend not to notice. Sometimes we feel we don’t have the words, or we’re afraid because of the hurtful and embarrassing ways the gospel has been shared by others. Forgive us, O God. Grant us the words to encourage, the courage to invite, and the wisdom to bring hope. Help us share the love, forgiveness, and acceptance we ourselves have experienced—in a way that opens hearts. We ask in Christ’s name. Amen.

In an old Peanuts comic strip, Lucy answers the phone. It’s Charlie Brown calling for her brother Linus. She calls for Linus, but he refuses to talk. “I’m not speaking to him. He insulted my belief,” Linus complains. “I’m not speaking to anyone who doesn’t believe in the Great Pumpkin!”

Lucy replies, “Good luck with the world!”

Lucy is right! If we insist that everyone believe just as we do, we’re going to have a hard time getting along in the world. Pride can do real damage to our relationships—even with those we love.

Now, that’s not to say we shouldn’t have deep convictions. We absolutely should. And of course, there will be times when we disagree or feel compelled to argue our point. But if we try to dominate every conversation, or beat people over the head with our views—or, like Linus, shut them out altogether—we only isolate ourselves.

There’s an ancient rabbinical saying: “There is no room for God in someone who is filled with himself.”

On the other hand, when we’re able to listen to those we disagree with—and when we treat them with love and respect—we make room for our relationships to flourish. We also make room for God’s Spirit to move, and our experience of the world becomes a little more grace-filled and loving.

Let us pray: Loving God, we know we can’t make it alone in life for very long. We need other people. We need friends. Today, O God, we pray for healing in our relationships. Where our pride has been destructive, help us to make amends. Grant us a spirit of humility, that your grace may abound. Amen.

Today’s message was written by my friend, Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel, Founder of Dial Hope.

Friend of Dial Hope, Christ comes to us in a special way when we are ready. After Jesus was crucified, Cleopas and Simon were hurting as they plodded down the Emmaus Road. And then, suddenly, Christ was there with them—to give them strength and meet their needs. He opened the scriptures to them. He broke bread with them. And as they experienced the resurrected Christ, they too were resurrected.

The truth is that Christ is never nearer to us than when we are hurting. I believe there are two reasons for this. First, we are often more open to God’s presence when we are down and out. And second, God is like a loving parent who longs to be especially close to His children when they are in pain. Parents know what I’m talking about.

So, wherever you are on your spiritual journey, know this: hope is still alive. Christ is risen! Christ is alive!

Let us pray: God of the cross and the empty tomb, we come to you in humility. You are the God of hope, who declares love for the poor, the broken, the diseased, and the hungry of this world. You are the God who loves us—even when we are unlovable.
Help us to be channels of grace to all people across the globe. Amplify the voices of those who are kind and gentle, and silence the voices of those who are contentious.
Let love break out like an epidemic. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve felt called—or summoned—by God to step out of your comfort zone? Or to stretch your faith?

One of the major themes that runs through the Bible is that of calling. Often we think of calling as a vocation—and it can be. It may be a life’s work… or a part of it. But it’s not limited to that. Calling can also be something we feel compelled to do—something that requires us to step outside of ourselves for the sake of others. Something that adds meaning and hope to our lives.

A pastor friend of mine once told me about a capital campaign his church launched to eliminate a couple million dollars of debt. They hired a consultant to help. Before anything began, the consultant asked to meet with him personally. She sat him down and said, “As the pastor and leader of this church, I want you to prayerfully consider giving $10,000.”

He said, “You’ve got to be kidding me! I’m 36 years old. I don’t have $10,000. I’m already giving all I can!” She replied, “Well, you’ve told me that God has called you to this. What if you divided the $10,000 over three years? How much would that be a month? What could you sacrifice to make it happen?”

It turned out that not only did the campaign stretch his faith—it stretched the faith of the whole church. It became a time of great spiritual growth. And through it, they were freed up financially to do tremendous good in the community—to truly help and bless others.

Have you ever felt called by God to take a leap of faith? Maybe to reach out to someone in need. Maybe to serve in a particular ministry. Maybe simply to ask for help when you really needed it, but pride was getting in the way. Or maybe it was a call to let go of something unhealthy. Or to take a leap of faith to join a church—or return to one after years away.

Can you remember a time when you felt summoned by God?

Is it possible that God is calling you now?

Let us pray: Holy God, we thank you for your calling on our lives. And we thank you that your calling can shift and change over time. Give us ears to hear you nudging, and open hearts to respond. In Jesus’ name. Amen.