In a story called The Lonely Ember, Dr. John MacArthur writes: a man who once showed up every week quietly stopped coming to church. Weeks passed before his pastor went to see him.
It was a cold evening. The man sat alone in front of a strong, steady fire. He welcomed the pastor in and offered him a chair by the hearth. Then they both sat down. No small talk. No questions. Just silence and the sound of burning wood.
After a few minutes, the pastor leaned forward. With a pair of tongs, he lifted a glowing ember from the fire and set it off to the side. Then he sat back again and waited.
The man watched.
At first, the ember still glowed. But little by little, the light faded. The heat died down. Soon it sat there, dark and cold.
No words had been spoken.
Just before leaving, the pastor reached for the tongs again. He picked up the lifeless ember and placed it back into the middle of the fire. Right away, it began to glow. Heat returned. Light came back. It was alive again.
The pastor stood to go. At the door, the man finally spoke.
“Thank you for coming,” he said. “And thank you for the sermon. I’ll be back this Sunday.”
That quiet moment says more than a long message ever could.
Faith was never meant to be lived alone. Scripture reminds us not to give up meeting together, but to encourage one another, especially as the days move forward. There is something about being around other believers that keeps the fire going. It strengthens us. It steadies us. It reminds us who we are and whose we are.
When we pull away, even for a little while, it’s easy to lose that warmth. Passion fades. Focus drifts. But when we stay connected, something powerful happens. Our faith grows stronger. Our love for God deepens. And without even realizing it, we begin to light the way for others too.
You never know who is watching your life. You never know who might be warmed by your faith.
Stay close to the fire. And help someone else do the same.
Additional Resources
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