How Fire Works

Sitting at home on the Fourth of July and thinking about the holiday. You know, the celebration of Independence Day, Bar-B-Ques, parades, people adorned in patriotic garb, flags everywhere {someone even stuck a flag in my lawn}, and fireworks. Growing up, this holiday terrified me. I enjoyed the fireworks in the sky, but the illegal, street variety sent me indoors. Sparklers, which were always a huge hit with the neighborhood kids, were off limits to me. I was fiercely afraid of fire.

I knew that fire was destructive, powerful, and painful. But, there is a fire that is refining instead of destructive. Scripture refers to God as "a refiner and purifier" (Malachi 3). This work of becoming holy is no joke and so necessary. We are the ones, after all, who fill our lives with the impurities of our selfish desires and false idols...

And there is fear and trembling with this fire, too, as we work it all out. The heat can be intense and the afflictions indeed painful, but I know this Refiner. I know His work, and I trust Him with my life because without Him I am nothing.

{Short and to the point tonight, dear ones, as I am going to go make berry shortcake for Jaden and possibly walk down the street to see the show. xo}