Holy Fire of God

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire." Heb 12:29-29


Oh praise Him! Praise a God that loves us so much, that wants us to be with him so badly that he truly consumes us with his Holy Fire. There are many references in scripture to God's fire. People often refer to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as being "on fire for the Lord". Fire is a consuming power. When you think of fire in the natural sense it burns until all energy it has access to is used up. A forest fire or brush fire travels and is fed and grows on the continuing supply of oxygen and combustible material. It will roll quickly through an area consuming all that is in its path leaving desolation and destruction in its wake. So how can we relate this type of image to a Holy fire of God?
The all consuming fire of God is his way of lighting you up from the inside to show his glory. Think back to times in your life when you felt that fire. Most assuredly other people were able to see the virtual glow from your face and the change in your personality. When you are truly consumed by the Lord you can not help but be changed and it always starts from inside and shines outward. God is a jealous God. He wants so desparately for his children to love him and to serve him willingly. Deuteronomy 4:24 says "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." He is not jealous of us but for us.
He uses his fire to refine us, so remove the impurities like the refining of silver. Zechariah 13:9 says, "This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, 'They are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' "
A silver smith sits in front of his furnace and watches his silver intently. Never takes his eyes from it. If he did it could be ruined by being in the fire too long. If he does not fire it long enough it will not shine. No, he watches it with great care and conern waiting for the dross, the inpurities, to come to the top and be drawn off. When the silver it shining like a mirror, at that exact moment he withdraws it from the flame. He cools it and rubs it gently to a brilliant luster. What care he must take with his charge of precious metal.
Isn't it just an awesome thought that Jesus takes such care with us. He sits as a refiner of silver and cares for us. He never takes his eyes away when we are in the fire. Whether it is a time of testing, a time of purification or a time of soul enlightenment ( all by the way accomplish the same goal, we are on Fire for the Lord) he never takes his eyes from us. He watches us intently to be sure we are at just the right condition. We must be in the fire long enough to be purified and not too long as to be ruined. He withdraws the heat when necessary or turns up when needed. But he never stops watching over us. The end result...we are like mirror image of him. When we are truly consumed by him, by his fire, we are a reflection of him to the world. That is inspiring and humbling to me.
He loves us enough to take such care but also enough to constantly make us better and more like him. But we must be willing and must accept his correction to truly receive what he has for us. We must ask to be consumed by the Holy Fire of God and he will feed that fire eternally, we will not burn up under his care. The fire is fed by his word and a desire to do his will.