Out of the Frying Pan...

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…
1 Peter 1:6-8

…and into the fire, that is how the old saying goes. Fire is a powerful thing, it is destructive and productive. In Scripture fire represents both the presence of God and His wrath. Almost all of the sacrifices the Hebrew people were to make were to be made by fire. Fire is an “all in” sort of proposition when it comes to faith.

In much of scripture we see God’s call to his people to be all in. Abraham was willing offer his son as a burnt offering because God told him to. Daniel faced the lions because he would not compromise his faith. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego walked in the fiery furnace with God as their protector. Peter walked on water when his focus was totally on Jesus. The apostles and many of Jesus’ disciples left everything behind to follow him. Today, in some parts of our world modern disciples risk their lives for the sake of Christ - they are all in when it comes to being followers of Jesus. 

It is hard to surrender our desires and dreams and take up what God desires and dreams for us but when we do - when we let God purify us by the fire of His presence, of His life, we become more than we could have become on our own. When we go “all in” that fire will fill us with more than this world could ever offer. We are filled with inexpressible and glorious joy, we are filled with victory. 

Today, jump out of the frying pan and into the fire of God’s presence - go all in with your faith and see what HE will do.

A Prayer
Father, You know that none of us like to be tried by fire and yet fire is a power tool in Your hands. Fire can both destroy and create. You call us to total surrender; You call us to be all in with our faith. Help us Lord to step out of whatever worldly thing we think is keeping us safe and walk with You in the fire that brings is joy and victory. In the name of Jesus, Amen