I was reading about Moses and the Burning Bush yesterday when the Holy Spirit started to prompt me with ideas I really did not want to entertain. But if you've been with the Holy Spirit long enough, you'd know that He really does a great job at bugging you if you don't listen (I experienced that too many times before).
Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” (Exodus 3:2b-3)
Yep it's a very familiar story --Moses in the mundane noticed something extraordinary and got out of his way to see what's really happening... and that we can choose to be like Moses, being faithful while doing the routines of our everyday life and wait for God to catch our attention for our new assignment. But that's not the theme God struck me with. I was more amazed with the Burning Bush here... IT WAS ON FIRE BUT IT DID NOT BURN UP. It's hard to claim that I'm gonna be like a burning bush, consumed but not burnt out. But what's encouraging here is that it was God's fire itself that's consuming the bush that's why it's not burning up. I see it more like his presence. And the effect is an ordinary man (Moses) noticing this phenomenon which led him to do great things for God. That's encouraging too, to know that I'll be used for others to notice God's phenomenon.
Right, I don't sound excited at all! Honestly, I wanted to repel this thought and read more hoping that God would take back what He said and give me something else. Haha. But then He started to remind me that FIRE is not bad at all. It can be destructive when not contained and scary when you're in Hell (I hope you know how not to get there) but it's really essential. Here's why:
Fire symbolizes Passion in the wordly context. Fire one of the four classic elements (Earth, Wind, Water and Fire) and it is usually associated with ENERGY or PASSION. I think that makes a lot of sense because I've always been someone who makes Passion my reason for doing things!
Fire also signifies Refinement in the Bible. Silver, Gold or any other stones/gems' value is dependent on how pure and fine it has been made. The finer, the more valuable it gets. And one effective way to refine something is through fire. Knowing now that this year will be a refining process for me is not exciting at all for surely it's gonna be difficult and sacrificial, maybe even more difficult than the sacrifices I had in 2013. But just like how my sacrificial obedience resulted to me to be brought to peaks, I know that this refinement process will also, well, make me a better me! :)
Zechariah 13:9 says "And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are my people’; and they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’"
Fire cleanses us off Sin. Isaiah, one of the major prophets in the Bible was not born qualified to be such. In fact, when he had an encounter with God in Isaiah 6, he felt so ashamed and convicted of his sins. But verses 6-7 narrates that a seraphim (like an angel) touched him with a burning coal and that took away his sin and guilt. (I love putting there "guilt". It's so comforting to know it's possible to also rid of the guilt of your past sins). My 2013 was far from perfect but it's really comforting to know that none of the guilt and shame will be carried over to this year. Thanks to this, well, Fire. I'm beginning to completely believe my fiery year is gonna be the greatest so far :)
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)
Fire represents God's presence. This one's the best of all! We go back to Moses but this time, he was already leading the people into the Promised Land through the dessert. The Bible says that they were guided by clouds in the day (which is a shed from the heat of the sun) and by fire during the night (which provides light in the darkness).
By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. (Exodus 13:21)
Now I realize it doesn't matter what the theme of my year is. Fire, water, battle, abundance, or even lack... What really counts is who I'm with through the year. And that means for me that even with the tough circumstances I have to face because of my new responsibilities at work...
- Intimidating people I have to work with
- Competitions I have to win
- People I have to lead
- Hurdles I have to overcome
- Quotas I have to meet (hahaha)
- Everything else I can't foresee right now
...through the Fire will turn into
- People God can influence through me
- Challenges God will use to glorify himself
- Hurdles that God can use to step me up
- Quotas that God is able to make me reach because He owns the whole world
- Everything else God can use to make Him known to me and to others.
Now I'm too hot for you to handle. :P Happy New Year!!!
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