It's winter. Everything
and everyone is trying to keep warm in the frigid temperatures. These days,
there's nothing that restores me more than relaxing next to my fireplace after
a busy day. This welcoming hearth also reminds me of the enduring heart of God
and helps me to put everything back into perspective.
Indeed, in a
controlled environment, a fire can be very attractive - so much so that we
often forget the inherent danger it possesses. When boundaries are removed,
though, fire inevitably spreads quickly to cause destruction and death. It
makes all the difference who has control.
The Bible often
uses the imagery of fire to teach important principles about God. In Deuteronomy 4:24, we are warned clearly
that 'the Lord your God is a consuming fire'. The Israelites knew
very well that this didn't refer to a warm hearth on a cold day, however. It
meant a raging, blazing, spreading inferno. A fearful concept. So many people
in today's postmodern world are attracted to the warmth and light of God, yet
are reluctant to allow Him and His absolute Truth to consume them. They
prefer to experience the comfort of God in a fireplace, where His warmth can be
enjoyed while His burning power is controlled. As true Christians, we need to
release control back to God - to allow His holy, consuming fire to penetrate
our beings so He can show His power and accomplish His agenda. Wow - that's a
tall order. To start, let's explore some of the characteristics of fire.
Fire brings
light. Ephesians 5:8, 11, 13 says “for you
were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of
light. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
expose them. [For] all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light.”
Allowing the light from God's fire to completely expose us is a high price to
pay for many - we somehow feel entitled to our privacy. Yet if we truly desire
for God's light to shine out from us, it must be penetrating every closet of
our hearts.
Fire melts and
molds. I know
how easy it is to develop a cold, hard heart - hurt, bitterness and
unforgiveness can slowly seep into our lives until all feeling is gone. God's
consuming fire wants to melt your heart back into its original tender state and
mold it into the image of Jesus.
Fire burns. We all enjoy warm weather, and
we've all experienced at some time the discomfort of a sunburn when we've
enjoyed a bit too much of it. As God's fire melts and molds, it also will burn
- burn up our flesh, our selfish desires, our secret motives. Warning - we're
getting pretty close to the heat now, and it's going to make us uncomfortable. We
read about God's Judgement Day in I
Corinthians 3:11-13: "For no
other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare
it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each
one's work, of what sort it is." Typically substances that can
withstand heat like gold, silver and gems are the ones that are more costly. We
need to be prepared to live sacrificially in order to further His Kingdom.
Fire purifies
and refines. Even
valuable material like gold and silver contain impure elements that need to be
removed. Zechariah 13:9 alludes to
this: "I will bring [My people]
through the fire; will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold
is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'This
is My people'; and each one will say, 'The Lord is my God.'" We need
to daily ask God to refine our offerings to Him by searching our hearts and
burning away anything impure.
Fire stimulates
growth. This is
the best part! Just as a prairie fire burns away the overgrowth to return
nutrients to the soil for seed germination, you'll begin to experience new
growth in your life when you allow God's consuming fire to take control. He'll
birth dreams and blaze trails that would never have been possible had you confined
Him to just the fireplace. You also won't be able to stop sparks from flying
into the paths of others as you go about your routine - but it won't matter
anymore. This fire is now out of your control.
It's still pretty
cold out there - but may the below zero temperatures remind us of the state of
our hearts, as well as a world in need of God's consuming fire.
Ruth-Ellen W.