Simeon the Prophet

“God is a consuming fire,
And we, candles of the Lord.
As the flame of a candle flickers,
Dancing on vapors of wax consumed,
So God's presence rests and burns,
On the life that's spent for Him,
Our flesh the wax, formed for expending,
It's fumes His praise to inhabit,
Physical walls, drunk by his fire,
Our spirit freed by it's melting.
To you who would seek after God's Holy Presence,
If it's nearness to Him you're yearning,
Than count the cost, your current life lost,
First realize what is burning.
For to desire the nearness of  Him that burns,
Is to become a living fuel,
United with Him is to be one of His flames,
For 'tis you His presence consumes.
Surely our lives as we would live them,
Are but dead logs and kindling,
Worthless to self for cherishing,
But valuable when given for burning.
God's presence feeds on the destruction of self,
Into a living sacrifice you turn,
The more of your self you toss in to His flame,
The hotter His presence will burn.
As incense burning in the temple of old,
An offering in honest desire,
So 'tis the aroma of a saint on his knees,
His prayers the smoke, of a life on fire.”
Simeon looked upon the man and said to him, “Burn on ye faithful candle of God.
How the darkness runs from thee.
Burn on ye candle of the Lord,
Guiding those on the darkest sea.”

The head deacon approached through the crowd and spoke up, “What is this?  What goes on here?  Haven’t you already preached today?  Will you now bore these good people with more of your sick dreams and twisted tales?”

Simeon looked upon the deacon standing in stern disapproval and then gazed out over the people.  The crowd had grown quite large now.  People were parking across the street and walking over to see what was going on.  People were coming out of their houses and those walking home from the market were all adding to the crowd.  He looked upon them and his heart was filled with compassion.  They appeared to him as young hatchlings, with necks outstretched, starving to be fed words of truth.