Consumed

 "Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakeable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. 'For our God is a consuming fire.' " Hebrews 12:28-29

I began my first pastorate in the city of Lubbock, in West Texas. Our district campground was in the Fort Worth area, about 400 miles away. Texas is a BIG state. I have a lot of memories of that place; copperhead snakes in abundance, high heat during the day, and a nearby "river" that never seemed to have any water in it. Most of all, I remember the pecan tree right in the middle of the campground. It was said to be the oldest pecan tree in the nation at more than 400 years. Everybody gathered under it at night after camp worship services, and the fellowship was grand, if you could handle the mosquitoes. Texas sized mosquitoes. They were in such abundance that up in the branches the camp caretaker had placed several large "bug zappers." The mosquitoes flocked to it, hovering around, and for many, flying directly into it. We could hear the steady zapping of bugs that then stepped out into oblivion. Something about all that has stuck with me, and I thought I'd write about it today.

Those mosquitoes would come to that zapper, attracted by the light, and many would fly around it, getting near, but ultimately, staying away. Others flew directly into it and were completely consumed. I see a real connection to how many of us are with the Holy Spirit of God. We too can be drawn to His fire, His light. We hover around Him, drawing close, near, but ultimately, we, like the mosquitoes, draw off and away. We don't fly into His fire. We're attracted, but we're never consumed. We may come near, but we end up being away from Him. Our life, our self-life, remains intact. We're never consumed with Him, and we're certainly not consumed by Him. Are we attracted to His light, His fire, but never to the point of giving ourselves over to Him?

The God who is a consuming fire seeks always to consume us. Not for our destruction, at least not the destruction of anything good. He seeks to consume us with His holy fire in order to refine us, to purge us of all the "impurities" to be found in our heart and life. When gold or silver are refined, the impurities within the precious metal, dross, come to the surface and are scraped off and disposed of. The refiner seeks to bring forth gold and silver that is pure. So too does our Father God, the Refiner, seek to do in our lives. All the character defects, impure desires, motives, and destructive attitudes and behaviors. For that to happen, we need to "fly into the fire." Yes, there can be pain involved. Giving up harmful treasures, idols, and those things that tend to kill us by inches, can hurt when we first yield them to Him, but oh the joy and beauty of what He transforms us into when we do.

Are you flying near the fire today, but never flying into it? Never lose sight of the truth that flying near the fire, Almighty God, is not the same as flying into Him, of being in Him. In the end, it doesn't matter how close to Him you get, you will still be found outside of Him. Step beyond attraction into consumation. Fly into the fire.

Blessings,

Pastor O