Thursday, 08 October 2009

• Spiritual Strength: Do You Burn or Withstand the Heat?

  Jeremiah 23v.29 says: “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?

  Here God compares His word to two things: fire and a hammer.

  A fire in Old Testament times, and up to medieval times even, was used in masonry and blacksmiths. Precious metals were put over a fire to heat them up, and the high temperatures would separate the metal from its ore. The precious metal would rise to the top while the bad parts sink to the bottom. You see, consistent with this analogy, fire brings out the best in people because it removes the impurities.

  I can’t think of a time where Christianity has flourished better than when it has been persecuted and under pressure. Think of the early church described in Acts, Elijah in the book of 1st Kings, Martin Luther in the German Reformation, and today in society where we are persecuted for holding to a truth. The pressure to conform to society’s status quo is huge, but I think that the true Christians are being sifted out now.

  Nevertheless, fire is an injurious thing. It burns and destroys objects it comes into contact with. I read recently in Grampa_David’s blog of the destruction that fire brings to British Columbia. Saddening, indeed.

  I once went on a holiday to Sydney, Australia. The whole family jumped onto a bus tour of the Blue Mountains.  At first I thought it was just a bunch of mountains, nothing you can't see in your own back yard, but then the tour guide said something very interesting. The scrub fires that they have over there are important to the natural ecology of the forest. The eucalyptus plants have been built in with the ability to withstand the fires.

  The Eucalyptus tree has leaves, which contain flammable oils, thus encouraging the start of a fire and a way to eliminate plant species, which are not fire-tolerant. The bark of the Eucalyptus tree protects the tree during a fire as it acts as insulation agent. The Eucalyptus tree regenerates itself after fire living off underground roots or stems that contain bud and food reserves.

  Likewise, “the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4v.16)

  Linking those two elements together, the word of God is like a fire; it cuts and penetrates people to their inner beings, even to dividing soul and spirit. Those who have armor like the strength of the eucalyptus tree can withstand the wrath of God.

  The Christian should be like the eucalyptus tree, holding what is dear and important in the roots and foundations. Let the word of God burn up everything else, all the weeds and rubbish. When everything else that offends God is gone, God will sustain us.

  But the people have not returned to him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD Almighty. So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; the elders and prominent men are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. Isaiah 9v.13-15

  So where are you? Have you been burned by God through trials and struggle, or have you developed that protective fire-proof trunk like the Eucalptus having survived His tests?

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