Pulpits aflame with righteousness

Alexis de Tocqueville: "I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power."

This man visited America in 1831, then wrote about his observations in Democracy in America, published in 1835. In the above quote he pinpoints what he considers the central reason America prospered. I find it interesting that he didn't cite religion or freedom or the military or the form of government, he cited "pulpits aflame with righteousness."

Pulpits aflame with righteousness. I wonder what he meant by that? I can only speculate, but it seems to me that he wasn't talking about sermons. I am pretty sure he wasn't referring to the service. Pulpits aflame with righteousness.

What happens when the Word is preached with power, filled with the Holy Spirit? Pulpits aflame with righteousness. Righteousness is a characteristic of God, and fire is a reference to the Holy Spirit and His transformative nature. The pulpit is the authority seat of the church. My take on this is that he is referring to the high places of the church being filled with the anointing which calls forth purity and god-likeness in the people, reaching the highest and the lowest.

Pulpits aflame with righteousness. This is a statement of the supernatural. God's work in the church, overshadowing the authority positions in it, tearing down pretensions and releasing His purpose and power via His refining Word.

Pulpits aflame with righteousness. Too often we possess a form of godliness, but deny (or suppress or ignore) the power thereof. Too often we tolerate our ears being tickled. Too often we defend our sensibilities in the face of conviction.

So I wonder if we get so adept at silencing the voice of the Holy Spirit that we can barely hear Him beckoning anymore. Do our pastors fear preaching the full and anointed Word because of potential backlash? Do we recoil when challenged and threaten to pull our offering? When confronted with with the fire of the Holy Spirit, do we back off?

Or worse, do we call upon the Holy Spirit to have His way, do we sing songs about our supposed desperation for God's presence, do we kneel at the altar with lifted hands, but our words remain empty?

Pulpits aflame with righteousness. Hearts aflame. The church aflame. Our homes aflame. Our worship aflame. Do we want this?