Yearn and Burn

For some time I have heard people talking about some crazy preachers. The preachers that will be sweating on the stage shouting into the microphone. These crazy preachers giving the audience the guilt trip of a lifetime, telling them to "Turn or Burn!" Now, I have only heard of these preachers but have never experienced one. So I guess you could just call me sheltered.

I find the term "Turn or Burn" very strange. It never specifies which way to turn. Turn away from God or turn toward God? It never specifies which type of burning either. Burning in hell or burning with Jesus-like passion? If you change "or" to "and" it takes on another kind of meaning. "Turn or Burn" sounds threatening and guilt trippy. "Turn and Burn" is something I want to do.

Of course I'm not a fan of turning either. Call me lazy. I guess the phrase "Turn" is an example of "Repentance" which someone once told me one time means to do and hundred and eighty turn turn. To face the other direction. What if you "Turn" so much you forget which way you're facing? What if you get dizzy from spinning around so much? I find it almost scary and I now have a fear of being dizzy.

So I want to replace "Turn" with "Yearn." It is a cool word and it catchy. Truth is I stole the "Yearn and Burn" from a song in which they sing, "Lord, I want to yearn for You, I want to burn with passion." Yearning is something that sounds mystical and magical. It makes the word longing seem weak. Yearning is something I want to do in my walk. I yearn to be close to Jesus. I yearn to be like Jesus. I yearn to love like Jesus.

I like burning still. It is probably the inner-pyro inside me. Fire is just sweet. From huge bonfires to those little lighters. Fire amazes me, but not when it hurts me. If it hurts me, then I don't like fire. The thing with the "Yearn and Burn" is that the burning is internal. The burn and yearn are like a tag-team from heaven. They devour enemies in their track. Because we yearn, we burn. Yearn for God. Burn with passion. Because we burn, we yearn more. Together, they're like an accelerating train.

Dark times will come though. When the flame loses most of its flicker and the yearning doesn't come around as much. Other time the burn is gone, so the yearn dies with it. How do you get the train moving again? I guess the same way you light a candle again. Another candle or something lights it again. Then back you go burning and yearning. Maybe you can light other candles along the way. Set off that spark.

Because it's not some "Turn or Burn" kind of thing. You don't want people to just begin a relationship with Jesus out of guilt. I think it would be better for people to start their relationship with Jesus because they want to yearn for Jesus.

"I want to yearn for You, I want to burn with passion"