I took a trip to Oregon—drove my granddaughter and myself up so she could spend some time with her cousins, and I could see my sons and their families.  My daughter (my granddaughter’s mommy) couldn’t join us because she in on an aircraft carrier.

I love vacations and adventures, but there is more security in my routines—and getting settled back into one after the vacation has been challenging with school starting for my granddaughter at the same time.

My quiet time in the mornings is precious to me, though when we were traveling I adjusted the time I would get up—none of this 5am stuff when I am on vacation!  But back home now I am trying to get back into the school year routine—and it seems to be more difficult than usual!  Perhaps, the security I find in a routine is something God wants to shake up…

Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time recognizes that I try to get posts published about twice a month.  However, I came back from vacation with a burgeoning lack of inspiration.  Writing is like small flame inside of me that sometimes explodes like a California wildfire, or responds like a campfire doused with a bucket of water, yet it never seems to be completely extinguished.

I think it interesting what scripture has to say about fire – the word appears 424 times in the ESV translation.  Some of the most familiar instances where fire appears in scripture indicate God’s presence:  God confirming His covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15:17-21), His appearance to Moses in a bush that was engulfed in flames but not consumed (Exodus 3:1-7), and the appearance of flames of fire resting on each of the disciples when they were filled with the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost:

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a might rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)

This happened in accordance with the prophecies and promises given by the prophet Joel and John the Baptist: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams and your young men shall see visions.  Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29)

And…  “As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all saying, ‘I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.  He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.’” (Luke 3:15-16)

Fire is also associated with the testing of our faith:

 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!  According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:3-7)

Our relationship with Jesus and the hope we have through His resurrection, the hope of our imperishable, undefiled, and unfading destiny, is what keeps us going, even when we are slogging through the adversities of life!

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12-13)

Fire is also recognized for its usefulness in refining precious metals—and precious people!

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.  For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned?  My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:10-11)

Fire is also associated with judgment:

 “I am the vine; you are the branches.  Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.” (John 15:5-6)

And…

“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.  This is the second death, the lake of fire.  And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:14-15)

The lake of fire is of no personal concern for those who have committed their lives, in faith, to Jesus Christ.  Unfortunately, twisted religion tends to use the “fear of fire” to manipulate people into its own dogma, neglecting God’s incomprehensible love and gift of salvation through Jesus.

My hope and my prayer is that the fire of the Holy Spirit will stay alive in me, and His church; that we will not lose heart during the challenging times— “So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.” (1 Corinthians 4:16-18)

I also hope to keep the fire of the Spirit alive by abiding in Jesus and focusing on, and rejoicing in Him: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22)

And I pray that we, as God’s children and believers in Christ Jesus, would not allow the enemy to douse the flame of God within us: “As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.  I am reminded of your sincere faith…For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:4-7)

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.  If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved,but only as through fire.”      (1 Corinthians 3:11-15)