After three weeks of singing this I feel like we are really able to lend our full voices to our corporate praise and prayer which this song so powerfully enables. [I Will Never Be (the Same Again)] I hope to be leading again in a couple weeks and for the me the only sad part about that is not getting to stand beside my lovely wife Sarah or my dear friend Pastor Myron as we pour out our hearts to the Lord. That is part of the sacrifice of my call, and I am alright with that.
I have been moved to tears a few times over these past weeks as I have sung and heard others sing this song. The section that is the greatest blessing to sing and hear sung is the chorus. What an incredible prayer to pray!
Fall like fire, soak like rain,I think these words are pretty straightforward but let me give some perspective to them. The metaphors or simile of fire and water to represent the work of the Holy Spirit are beautifully mingled here. But do we really understand the significance of what we are asking for as we sing/pray them?
Flow like mighty waters, again and again.
Sweep away the darkness, burn away the chaff,
And let a flame burn to glorify Your name.
Water is difficult to control, especially flood level. I have witnessed the power of a small flood before, so this metaphor is not lost on me. This idea of the Holy Spirit soaking our church first came in the idea of getting so many people wet through baptism. It also has significance for the tears of humble joy that are becoming a common occurrence in our gatherings. But I am hoping it will also be evident in an outpouring or baptism of the Holy Spirit that will cause us to long for even more of Him.
Fire is even more difficult to control, especially fire from heaven, just ask Elijah. This was his prayer. God show how powerful You are by coming and consuming us. John Wesley said “Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.” I have often thought of this quote and wondered about the self-centeredness of it so I did a search.
My first thought of enthusiasm is a strong of excitement or fervor. But the first definition offered by Merriam-Webster is actually “belief in special revelations of the Holy Spirit”. I am not certain what they mean by special revelations, but as it turns out enthusiasm comes from the Greek word enthousiasmos, entheos inspired, from en- + theos god. If Wesley had this definition in mind, and I would like to think he did, the enthusiasm of which he spoke was one that would come from God. May translation, “Catch on fire with God and people will watch how you live closely. This is not so much about attracting attention to ourselves as to His work in us. I want to live like that. Don’t you? Look at that last line that you’ve been singing.
This idea of sweeping away darkness and burning away chaff are an important part of that. Darkness runs from light. When you open the door to a closet light floods into the closet, the darkness does come out. As God brings the light of His presence to us darkness is swept away. Chaff is an analogy for the seed covering and other debris separated from grain during threshing, basically worthless material. Burn away anything useless to Your purposes that is a part of my life.
This is a powerful prayer. Easy to sing. Not so easy to live. But as we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, it becomes easier. Light does not have to fight to push the darkness back, the darkness flees. Fire does not have to work hard to burn away chaff, it is quickly consumed. I pray that Spirit will do that kind of work in me and you as He prepares us for what is ahead.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy
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