I am on FIRE!

Thinking about God's refining fire tonight as we enjoyed the beautiful Texas evening together. Of course, it wouldn't be as enjoyable without the Smores!!! Yummy!

This was my youngest first time to fire up his own marshmellow. Big Brother loaded his marshellow and handed him the stick. The closer he got to the fire he could feel the heat and was very hesitant to get close to it.

 And I am thinking to myself, "Come on...I will not let you get burned...I am with you and I will protect you, just trust me. You will be okay." But he could feel the heat and it scared him.

I have been off the blog for a few weeks and I am so happy to be back! It has been an awesome and difficult several weeks. God has been a consuming fire for me, meaning there is a whole lot He is refining me in and it is hard to pin point where to even begin to express all that He has done.

I believe we respond to fire a lot like my little one from two perspectives. In one way, in our sin, we feel a seperation from God (eventhough He hasn't left us), we are out of His right standing and when we are in disobedience or struggle or sin, a lot of times it can feel like Hell. That is exactly how I would describe my season of fear over a year ago. There was no satisfying quench for my thirst, I was overcome and felt pain and terror.

On the other hand, God is a consuming fire and He refines us with it. A wonderful as it sounds, and it is certainly in the end, the refining can be scarey and intimidating and yet beautiful. It can be very scarey to accept a season of refining or pruning. It involves getting closer to the Fire. And trusting that I will not get burned. I can imagine that God is also saying to me as I did my child, "Come on...I will not let you get burned...I am with you and I will protect you, just trust me. You will be okay."

  

"As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace." Daniel 3:5-6

You have to read the rest of this for yourself...

 "Furious with rage, Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?" 16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual 20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. 22 The king's command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, 23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king." 25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." 26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, 27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way." 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon" Daniel 3:13-30

My 10 yr old was thanking God for the fire tonight because it lead to a fabulous Smores treat! I too am thanking my God for the Fire He has placed in my heart and soul that burns for Him and for the refining it has been in my life, molding me and purifying me into something more precious. I pray for courage, strength, endurance, patience and grace each time I approach the Refiner's Fire. 

 "The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken--that is, created things--so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12: 27-29

God, I want more of YOU!!!