The fire of God

As you may know, there are devastating fires raging on Table Mountain presently, driven by warm berg winds, causing people to have to evacuate their houses and causing much damage to property and nature. As we were praying into the situation yesterday and last night, I was reminded of how many times God spoke to His people in and through a fire.  Here are a few examples:

Daniel's friends refused to worship the idol as instructed and were thrown into the fiery oven from which God saved them.  However, they did not know if God was going to save them or not, consider what they were saying to the king beforehand:  

Daniel 3:17-18 ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

Even if God did not save them from the fire, they were not going to compromise their faith in God.  

God spoke to Moses in a fire from a burning bush in Exodus 3:1-17 ² And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. ³ Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.”⁴ So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!”

Moses had to turn aside to pay attention to the burning bush - and when God saw that he had turned aside, then God called to him...

When the Holy Spirit was poured out there were tongues of fire.

 Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. ² And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

It is clear from these scriptures that God very often speaks to His people in and through a fire, but this kind of fire from God is a fire through which He ignites our spirits with passionate love for Him and commitment to His calling for us.  Consider the words of those on the road to Emmaus when they said:

Luke 24:32  ³² And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”

How passionately is the fire of God burning in our hearts today?  Are we losing our passion for Him?  Maybe it is time to consider the question and ask God to pour out the fire of the Holy Spirit on us as individuals, in our city, and as a nation.  We are in the countdown to Pentecost - are we asking, praying desiring the Holy Spirit's fire to fall on us?

While we are keeping the firefighters, residents, students, UCT etc.. all who have been impacted by the fire that is still raging on this morning, in our prayers and thoughts, let us ask the Holy Spirit to fill us anew with His Spirit and set our hearts ablaze with a hunger and thirst for a deeper relationship with Father God and Jesus His Son.  

Lets worship with Kim Walker Smith