Holy Spirit as Fire: Destroyer

Hebrews 12:29

 For our God is indeed a devouring fire. ~ NET

 For indeed our God is a consuming fire. ~ NRSV

 For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire! ~ The Message

What does it mean for God to be a devouring fire? A consuming fire? 

 What does it mean for God to torch what needs to burn?

 Have you see fire destroy something? All that is left behind is ash or scorched earth.

 It can be scary.

 But it can also be life giving.

 When I went on a trip years ago to Tanzania, we went on Safari on the Serengeti. As we rode along in our jeep, we came across a large swath of savannah that was burning, throwing huge billows of smoke into the air.

 I wasn't surprised as I knew that often forest fires that are highly controlled can be used to actually bring new life to forests: by clearing dead trees and putting the nutrients back in the soil; by clearing overfull brush; and by eliminating weeds, diseases, and damaging insects.

 Sometimes devouring is necessary. 

 Of course, God isn't really like a controlled fire. The Holy Spirit doesn't really work so neatly.

 Sometimes for new life to happen, something has to be utterly destroyed. Something in us. Something we are holding onto too tightly: anger, greed, ambition, arrogance, certainty, hatred, division.

 And when those things are destroyed, something new is able to burst through bringing life out of the ashes.
Prayer: Send your Spirit of fire to burn in me what needs to be destroyed. Amen


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