Consuming Fire

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28-29

"He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi...  that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness." Malachi 3:3

While in praise and worship, listening to a Misty Edwards song, I remembered...

Years ago...years ago, when I was a little child...

I had to have been 10 years old.  It was about 5 years before the year 2000!  My aunt was placing a fear in me that within that particular year, God was coming back!  I was extremely afraid.  I had this whole idea that He was coming back and we all had to be consumed in this big fire.  Whether you were going to heaven or hell, you had to burn.

I envisioned this fire that invaded my house and thought about how scary is was going to be...how painful it was going to be, but it was what God was going to allow and I had to do it.

That night I prayed and told God, "I know it going to hurt and it is going to be painful, but it will only last for a little while and after that there will be no more pain."  I told God that when I saw that fire that I would throw myself in it.  I was not going to run because I trusted Him.

I had not remembered that but it filled me with tears and hope.  I submitted to his all consuming fire.  I thought it was a physical fire but it was his purging fire.  That day, He made a convenant with me and today, I will stay say, "As painful as this fire has been, I will throw myself into it because after all unrighteousness is done away with, there will be no more pain!"