Fire in My Heart

Meditations on

Staying In the Grace for Today 

April 22, 2025

Fire in My Heart

“I take joy in doing your will, my God,

    for your instructions are written on my heart.”

Psalm 40:8 

I well remember the first time I encountered these words of Jeremiah:

But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord

    or speak in his name,

his word burns in my heart like a fire.

    It’s like a fire in my bones!

I am worn out trying to hold it in!

    I can’t do it!

Jeremiah 20:9 

I had been a lay speaker and a Sunday school teacher, but Jeremiah’s words resonated deeply within me, and I sensed God had other plans for me. Within a few years of reading Jeremiah’s words, I received my first pastoral appointment. The fire burned in me for the thirty-two years I was in a pulpit and has continued to burn for the last thirteen years as I write these meditations. Early in Lent this year, as I began to ponder what I would write after Easter, I had a passing thought that maybe it was time to retire from writing these meditations. Fifteen minutes later I had developed this theme and began writing. The fire still burns within, and like Jeremiah, I cannot hold it in!

God has a plan for all his children. When you are flowing in God’s will for you, you will experience the same joy as our psalmist for today. How do you discern God’s will for your life? The best place to start is by praying. Then ask your pastor for assistance. You can also Google spiritual gifts and discover a plethora of available materials that help you understand your spiritual gifts.

My Takeaway: In my church, our service of Holy Communion concludes with a prayer asking God to assist us with his grace to continue in holy fellowship with him and do all such good works as he has prepared for us. We are asking God to help us take joy in doing his will for us.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.