loving the fire

"The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts."

Proverbs 17:3

For many years my prayer has been, "Lord, I want to know You. Draw me close. Reveal Yourself to me." A good prayer--but like Lucy stepping into the wardrobe, we can hardly imagine how far such a prayer may take us.

Myths about God are as common in our society as they have ever been elsewhere. The white-bearded, half-blind God who sits in the clouds and shakes His head over our misbehaviour is as much as myth as Santa Claus. The true God has revealed Himself to be someone very powerful, very beautiful, and very holy. No one will ever enter a relationship with Him without being changed.

In Revelation 1:14-18 , the apostle John saw Jesus as He truly was:

"His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

"And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.

"And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death."

Gold and silver, two of earth's most precious metals, are both purified in the same way: by being melted and refined over intense heat. Proverbs 17:3 is an allegory. Our hearts are like silver and gold. The LORD Himself is the purifying fire.

We who walk with God will often find ourselves in uncomfortable circumstances. Our lives will know pressure and fire; darkness and doubt. We will know the deep passion of a heart in love with fire, and we will sometimes know the pain of a heart purified by it.

The author of Hebrews wrote, "Our God is a consuming fire." His character is so righteous, so holy, that to know Him is to come under His transforming influence. God doesn't leave us as He finds us. But this should encourage us, for no matter how lowly we are, God sees our hearts as gold and silver. We are worth a great deal to Him. Worth loving, saving, and transforming.

To God, we are worth it.

Is He worth it to us? We were created to know God. In His presence is joy and glory we have hardly dreamed of. He is the awesome, beautiful, glorious God; and no pursuit in life can ever equal the pursuit of Him.

Sometimes, knowing Him burns. But it is more than worth it to love the fire.