www.truthworks.com                 20 January 07                 devotion archive

Consuming Fire

I tell you the Truth,

Exodus 3:
1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight--why the bush does not burn up."
4When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."
5"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

I’m sure this is not a new story for your ears. But God’s Book is a living book and always provides new and exciting ways to view what is written. Today, I want to look beyond the story of Moses. I want to look leave out the extraordinary. I want to examine the ordinary, like you and I.

Moses beheld a sight that he had never seen before - a bush burning, but not being consumed. I imagine I would be curious myself. So, Moses says to himself, "I think I’ll go see what’s up with this bush that doesn’t burn up." Notice that Moses is going to investigate the bush. He’s not looking for God or angels. He’s simply being drawn to a bush, an ordinary bush. He wants to know why this ordinary bush isn’t being consumed by the fire. This is his only stated purpose. And God provides the answer.

Moses approaches the bush when God tells him, "The place where you are standing is holy ground." The reason the bush was not consumed was not because it was a special bush. The only reason the bush was not consumed is because of one presence, the presence of God. When God is present, all things in His presence are holy grounds. When His hand is upon a thing or a person, it is holy.

Daniel 3 tells the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar had these boys thrown into a fiery furnace which was heated seven times normal. The fire was so hot that the guards who were to throw them in were consumed by the fire while the three faithful servants were untouched by the flames. You see, God’s hand was on Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. In verse 25, King Nebuchadnezzar says, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." They were not consumed by the fire, for God was with them and they become holy.

When Christ enters our life and we become His children, we become holy by His presence in our life. It is not because of our own merit. It is His presence that will save us from the fire. We are no more holy than the bush that spoke to Moses. Yet the presence of God transforms us into holy beings. God created this world with water. He destroyed it once with water. But Peter tells us that "by the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men." [2 Peter 3:7] Peter then gives us instructions on how to escape the fire:

2 Peter 3:
10But the day of the LORD will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

The Day of Judgment draws near. But we shouldn’t look at this day as a gloomy day. We can pass through the fire if Christ is in us, for if Christ is in us, we are holy and will not be consumed. But every thing that is not of God will not pass through. So it goes also with those that are not alive in Christ.

Isaiah 43:
1But now, this is what the LORD says –
he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you by name; you are mine.
2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
The flames will not set you ablaze.
3aFor I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

Hebrews 12:
28Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

Thank God today for His holiness. Pray that God’s holiness will be evident in your life today. Remember that we cannot be holy and righteous on our own. It is the presence of God in our lives that make us holy. And it is His holiness that will save us from the fire, untouched and without blemish. Our God is an awesome God.

Your Servant,

Randy Hunt
randy@truthworks.com
2TIM 1:7

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