Fire in our hearts - Jesus Army

FIRE IN OUR HEARTS
AWAKE O ZION!
there is, deep within the heart, an altar. And daily to this altar
is brought all self-interest, and there it is burned. Though hidden
from the eyes of men it fills the soul with a fragrance that
the noblest virtue of Adam could never match.
He was grateful for correction too:
I find the ‘kingdom heart’ a precious but painful expression.
Once I sat on a stool with a smug smile and a self-congratulating
heart. Then the Lord came and kicked the legs away! If it
wasn’t for the reality of discipleship, I could imagine puffing up
to the throne with a box of diaries and a heart untouched by the
cross.
Brotherhood was meeting our needs. Kelly’s love reached us,
and as we esteemed him, we grew like him. Often he would
come home weary from a demolition day on his digger, flop
against us as we sat by the window seat and breathe a great
sigh.
I glimpsed something of the friendship of Jesus with Peter,
James and John, or David with Jonathan. Holiness was warm,
human and brotherly. It ‘fleshed out’ the kingdom of God,
and branded me with a love for Zion that could never be
erased.
About this time Kelly called the house together. ‘Ralph is
“getting related” to Clare,’ he announced. That meant they
were considering marriage and would be spending time together.
Ralph would be around Living Stones more often to
see Clare. They would be going out for walks together and
176