1st Fire of the Season

Jamin built us a fire last evening for us, because the temperature was going to be around 36 degrees!  Oosh!  That's just cold!  The rising flames were so warm and beautiful.  Thanks, Son!  

I sit, I watch, I bask in the wonderful glow pouring from the fireplace.  Such warmth bathes my body and my soul as I ponder the fire, the burning, the coals and ashes.  

(The pictures are from last year's season)

Comforting, warming, relaxing, it smells so good, the sounds of the wood crackling under the heat, the mesmerizing flames make you want to curl up with a good book and sit, or with a big quilt and nap.  Four of the five senses have been touched.

But, if you get too close, it burns, hurts, singes, but it also refines, purifies, and seals.
Staying close to God, our Father, so He can continually purge us of our impurities, our sins, purify us, refine us as silver and gold, listening to hear His voice and being obedient to His will is where we will find the warmth and comfort from Him.  We hear Him best when we are close, where we feel the comfort, the warmth, but also the heat, and the burning.

             Purification
"Lord Jesus,
     I sin - Grant that I may
never cease grieving because of it,
never be content with myself,
never think I can reach a point of perfection.
     Kill my envy, command my tongue,
trample down self.
     Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable,
to live for thee and not for self,
to copy thy words, acts, spirit,
to be transformed into thy likeness,
to be consecrated wholly to thee,
to live entirely to thy glory.
     Deliver me from attachment to things unclean,
from wrong associations,
from the predominance of evil passions,
from the sugar of sin as well as its gall,
that with self-loathing, deep contrition,
earnest heart searching
  I may come to thee, cast myself on thee,
trust in thee, cry to thee,
be delivered by thee.
     O God, the Eternal All, help me to know that 
all things are shadows, but thou art substance,
all things are quicksands, but thou art mountain,
all things are shifting, but thou art anchor,
all things are ignorance, but thou art wisdom.
     If my life is to be a crucible amid burning heat,
so be it,
but do thou sit at the furnace mouth
to watch the ore that nothing be lost.
     If I sin wilfully, grievously, tormentedly,
in grace take away my mourning
  and give me music.
remove my sackcloth 
  and clothe me with beauty;
still my sighs
  and fill my mouth with song,
then give me summer weather as a Christian.
                  (The Valley of Vision)

"The words of the Lord are pure words;

As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times.

You, O Lord, will keep them;

You will preserve him from this generation forever."

Psalm 12:6-7

"Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, 

purge and make them pure until the end time; 

because it is still to come at the appointed time."

Daniel 11:35

"And I will bring the third part through the fire,

Refine them as silver is refined,

And test them as gold is tested.

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 my God.'"

Zechariah 13:9

Are you listening to the One who refines?

How are you being tested this day?

Are you staying in His warmth, His comfort?

Always Experiencing Him,
Jody