Monday, February 2, 2009

Fiery Thoughts !

This has been a weekend of "fiery thoughts" for me! I guess that sounds strange, huh? Here's how it went:

On Saturday after we visited the bus route for our church we made a trip to WalMart for a few things. As we passed one of the display TV sets they were playing a DVD of "Facing the Giants" which made me remember that the movie "Fireproof" had been released on DVD by now. I quickly made my way over to the New Releases rack and found it. Bought it. Brought it home and we watched it Saturday night. It's such a great movie! I can't wait to share it with others!

Of course as we watched all the scenes of the fires in the movie I was reminded of the line over and over...."You never leave your partner behind"! Fire is a scary thing. As it should be! It can take everything from you in a matter of minutes. But fire is also a necessary thing. We heat our home with a wood heater and without a fire burning in it we would be freezing cold in the winter!

Yesterday we had a special day at church and had a huge pot-luck dinner after the morning service. Ya'll should have seen all the different and delicious foods we had lined up on the counters. I tried to be good and just have small portions so am hoping I didn't make too big a dent in my diet! After dinner we had our evening service starting at 2:00 p.m. That way we didn't have to come back for our regular service at 5:00.

As we were driving home late yesterday afternoon I noticed a slight haze in the air as we got within a few miles of home. We live near some national forest property and every year they do "controlled burns" so that we are not so likely to have "uncontrolled" forest fires later in the summer or fall when it might be hot and dry. The fires were out but the smoke still lingered in the air.

Perhaps the smell of the smoke triggered it but by the time we got home, hubby had decided it would be a good evening for him to burn off his garden. Seems that the burning of the old dry stalks and grass in the garden is good for the ground. So after he changed into some old clothes he headed outside to set the garden on fire.

Just as it's good for the forest and for our garden to get burned off, sometimes we as Christians have to go through trials that feel like fire. It may be physical. It may be mental or emotional. It may be spiritual. Whatever it is, God can help us come through it and be better than we were before.

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" 1 Peter 1: 7

It took quite a while for all of it to burn and in the meantime darkness fell. I kept looking out the kitchen window to check and see if he was about done so I would know when to warm up the homemade soup I had cooked on Friday night. As I peeked out after it had become dark, the scene took on a whole different look. The fire was really all I could see. Everything else was dark. I thought about how bleak and dark the world around us seems at times. Especially lately. And when those thoughts come to me I usually remember a saying hubby borrowed from a friend years ago...."It's getting gloriously dark!" While looking at the fire I thought about the scripture that says Christians are the light of the world. As the world around us gets increasingly darker, may we shine increasingly brighter so that those around us can come to salvation because of our testimony of our Great God!

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your father which is in heaven." Matthew 5: 16

I pray God will bless you greatly as your candle burns brighter than ever!

Marilyn

9 comments:

Yolanda said...

Marilyn,

What a lovely post and thoughts to ponder today. For Jesus to come, we know it has to get darker, darker than you and I have seen it. Why are we so afraid? My hubs and I discussed this over lunch yesterday...come Lord Jesus.

Love to you,
Yolanda

Kay Martin said...

Shine Jesus Shine...when I look at your pictures I am impressed with the darkness of our time and we overlook the power of it to show the glory of God more brillantly than in a lighter time.

God bless you.

Karin said...

I've had some of those same thoughts, especially when we sing that song, "Send the Fire." Just want to share with you a poem on the same subject.

Send your fire, Lord!
The controlled fire the farmer uses;
Bulldoze away the stubble,
deadwood and chaff of our life.
May our jealousies, gossip,
deceit and lies all go up in smoke,
Prepare our heart acre
so that the seed of Your Word
will bring fruit for eternity.

Send your fire, Lord!
The intense heat of the refiner’s furnace;
Get rid of the impurities,
burn away pride, fear, anger, and all manner of evil.
Transform us into the beautiful people you want us to be,
Shining as pure, unblemished gold,
reflecting Your glory.

Send your fire, Lord!
The powerful flame of the blow torch;
Cut through the man-made boundaries,
legalistic limitations,
and high walls we’ve erected.
Fuse in harmony, unity, and freedom all your people,
Men and women, parents and children,
That we would be one in the Spirit of love!

Send the fire, Lord!
The raging forest fire
that strikes with lightening swiftness;
Burn to the ground
all our self-centered lofty ideals
and reaching for the stars.
Bring forth the new growth,
the delicate flowers of love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control,
To adorn our renewed, rejoicing heart.

Let us be on fire for you Lord!
Like the crackling blaze of a campfire
Spending itself in giving warmth,
comfort, and cheer to family and friends,
Keeping at bay the perils of darkness
And those little pesky annoyances.
Refuelled by the power of the Holy Spirit
to melt the icy,
soften the hard,
and warm the weary heart;
Seeing everyone beautifully reflected
in its golden glow.

Karin Ristau
copyright

I loved your post today!
Be blessed!

Anonymous said...

A very good illustration! Thanks for yesterday's lesson as well. The 'Golden Nuggett' that I wrote down was "God
is more interested in our relationship with Him than in our doing a job; because He can and will get the job done".

Hope you are having a great day!

Peggy

Jill Beran said...

Marilyn, Good words and your contrast of light and dark has been on my mind as well. Thank you for your comments and encouraging words on my blog today - don't ever apologize for length, I loved reading what you had to say. I can't imagine our homeschooling days coming to an end as we are to the 100th day of our first kindergarten year, but I know that day will come. That thought alone has given me perspective a time or two!! Thanks again for sharing,
Blessings from the farm in Iowa,
Jill

Shane and Kristy Davis said...

Thank you for sharing your encouraging thoughts:)
May the Lord help us to shine for Him in this dark world.

Joyful said...

Praying my little light will shine for Him, and be a glorious blaze in a darkened world.

Love & prayers,
Joy

ThreeGirlyGirls said...

Wow! Amazing!!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Beautiful imagery you've created here, both in word and in picture. I especially like the night scene. Makes me think about God is ever working on my refinement, even while I sometimes remain in the dark about the entire thing.

Usually I know...his fire burns hot in my heart.

peace~elaine