A Christ Who Is Close | The Wesleyan Church

You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light. (Ps. 18:28)

Expanded Passage: Psalm 18:28-36

My carry-on smells like a campfire. I’m not sure how long the scent will linger, but for now I won’t complain, even though my clothes smell like smoke and my skin cries out for lotion. Strong as the scent may be, stronger is the reminder of closeness that comes to my mind as I recall those moments standing beside warm coals as their glow burned bright. A reminder of closeness that is not merely measured in distance, but signaled in the smells we later carry.

Few things are as strange as fire, which brings with it warmth and comfort but also the risk of wildfire, should sparks catch in just the wrong places.

Scripture tells us that God is an all-consuming fire, jealous for our affection and worthy of our reverence and awe (Deut. 4:24; Heb. 12:28–29). We cannot outrun or hide from his love, for even darkness is as light to him (Ps. 139:12). The Lord is near and he draws especially close to those who are brokenhearted and crushed in spirit (Ps. 34:18).

For those who walk by faith and live in the way of Jesus, God has given the gift of his Holy Spirit who is our strength, a fire to live on within us, enabling us to acknowledge and submit to the Father in all our ways (Prov. 3:6).

Let the Lord illuminate the shadows of your soul.

Amy Boyle lives in Indianapolis, where she’s a disciple, friend, and neighbor, an Indiana Wesleyan alum and twenty-something, passionate about knowing Jesus and making him known.