“Command the Israelites to bring you clear oil of pressed olives for the light so that the lamps may be kept burning. 21 In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning before the Lord from evening till morning. This is to be a lasting ordinance among the Israelites for the generations to come.” (Exodus 27 v 20-21)
Some will wake this morning to a life full of light, a flame burning in them for the world to see!
It shows on their faces and in the words they will speak.
People are attracted to this flame. In a time of such darkness, there is light, vision, a future. How is this possible?
This morning, some will wake to a different scenario, a flicker of light for their world to see. With no idea what to do and with a bleak future, the thought is: shall I blow this pathetic flicker out? Shall I give up? The answer is always No.
To move from a flicker to a flame, apply fresh oil.
Take oil from pressed, crushed, beaten olives, put it in the lamp, and it will burn with light. This concept is hidden in Scripture for God’s people.
When a person submits to being hard-pressed, crushed, and beaten in life, something flows: the ingredient for the flame.
It is the oil.
No one can see the oil. Not even the hard-pressed person can see the oil. Everyone can see the crushing. Everyone can see the flame. But no one can see the oil. It is even hard to describe the oil. Words do not give it justice. They fall short. But the oil has to do with God’s power and God’s presence and God’s purity.
Embrace your sufferings. Count it all joy. If you don’t have any and life is too easy, then fast, repent, break up the ground of your life, set yourself apart for God.
A flame of light only comes from the oil of suffering.
When you see a lamp burning, realise there was a price.
Today, decide to pay the cost and see the flicker become a flame.
