Which fire are you warming yourself at?

“Now the slaves and the officers were standing there having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.” John 18:18 (NASB)

“So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already laid and fish placed on it, and bread.” John 21:9 (NASB)

A fire has a certain magnetic pull to it. We are so easily drawn to a fire especially if there are other people gathered there as well. I’ve been quite taken in the Spirit concerning the two charcoal fires Peter stood around and warmed himself at. One was very negative and faithless while the other was very positive and full of faith. The first fire was when Jesus was before His accusers. I’ve called this fire ‘the charcoal fire of denial.’ At this fire Peter was standing and warming himself ‘with them’ who were scorning and denying a suffering Messiah. Matthew Henry in his commentary says; ‘It is ill warming ourselves with those with whom we are in danger of burning ourselves.’ The fellowship of this fire was no true fellowship at all. It aided and abetted Peter in his denial of Jesus. And in denying Jesus, Peter was denying his very own sonship and the works thereof that can only be found in Jesus. The second fire was the charcoal fire prepared by Jesus on the shores of Galilee. I’ve called this fire ‘the charcoal fire of restoration.’ Here around this fire are gathered Jesus and seven of His disciples who we could rightly call the brethren (John 20:17). Here Jesus came a second time to Peter and called him to his name and work in Christ. Around this fire, the fellowship of His word and calling to our lives is spoken. Around this fire we can hear the word that would recover us and restore us. For all those who gathered around this fire another fire beckoned them: the fire of the Holy Spirit alighting upon them on the day of Pentecost and ushering all who participated into their place in the Body of Christ. (Acts 2:1-4) What fire are you standing around and warming yourself at?