Kindle My Heart

Lyrics to the Song

With

A Short Biblical Study of God’s Love

By: Douglas P. Smith

 Kindle My Heart

Kindle my heart, breathe into me

Fire-filled wind, kindle in me

A flame in my heart, a flame in plain view

Eternally blazing, wholly for You

Build in my heart, a bridge to Your love

Build in my mind, a view of above

Burn down the bridge of sin, so I won’t turn back

And build in my heart, Lord, Your love that lasts

© 1993 Douglas P. Smith

© 2010 Douglas P. Smith

Scripture references:
Acts 2:2, 3; Matthew 5:14-16; Revelation 3:15; Hosea 11:8; I Timothy 2:5;
Hebrews 12:2; II Corinthians 5:17; John 15:16, 17.
 Kindle My Heart – Scripture References (NASV)
Acts 2:2-3
2 “And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled
the whole house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared to them tongues as of fire
distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.”

Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does
anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to
all who are in the house. 16Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Revelation 3:15
5 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.”

Hosea 11:8
8 “How can I give you up, O Ephraim?
How can I surrender you, O Israel?
How can I make you like Admah?
How can I treat you like Zeboiim?
My heart is turned over within Me,
All My compassions are kindled.”

1 Tim 2:5
5 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ
Jesus”

Hebrews 12:2
2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before
Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the
throne of God.”

2 Corinthians 5:17
17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away;
behold, new things have come.”

John 15:16-17
16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and
bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My
name He may give to you. 17 This I command you, that you love one another.”
 Kindle My Heart –
A Short Biblical Study of God’s Love

The verses listed below are the verses that gave rise to the heart of the lyrics of this song,
especially Hosea 11:8 where we see the Father heart of God struggling within His love
for His wayward children; where mercy and judgment list in the balance. It is such an
example for us to see that our heavenly Father loathes punishing, but in the end as a truly
loving Father will discipline his children. It is telling that both judgment and mercy can
be found in His treatment of Israel. He rekindles His love in them and leads them back
into relationship with Himself and into His blessing as well (Hosea 14:4-9). It is this for
which we are asking.

To become Christ-like is to deeply love. To love deeply can be wearing on the heart,
because love contains both judgment and mercy. We are not above God in this and
indeed we are in need of His grace and mercy to win out each and every day in our hearts
because the immediate and eternal judgment of us and our sin is so rightly deserved.
When His love and mercy, by His Holy Spirit, kindle His flame in us then the world will
see that our God is a loving Father who longs not only for us, but for them as well. He is
worthy of our daily devotion and it is a deep need for us to be loved daily.

We need Him to be our Father every day, not just when we feel like it, just as our
children need us, depend on us, every day. Feelings have very little to do with real need.
Leave a campfire untended and it will either go out or destroy the forest in a very short
while. Leave a heart untended and it will either turn on itself or others in a very short
while. Only a heart tended by God’s mercy, grace and discipline will warm those around
it and reflect the Father’s love consistently.

When we ask for our hearts to be kindled, it is so we give God the opportunity to be each
day the loving Father we so desperately need for Him to be. We would never understand
how to love except that He has shown us. Whether we learn to love, whether we allow
Him to love others through us, depends solely upon our willingness to let Him kindle His
fire in us and tend it daily.

To have this kind of kindled heart for Him, our children and for each other – to love
deeply and to burn with compassion for those we love – this is the kindled heart of God, a
love that lasts.

© 1993 Douglas P. Smith

© 2010 Douglas P. Smith