Beauty for Ashes

Moses led them out from the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. All of Mount Sinai was covered with smoke because the Lord had descended on it in the form of fire. The smoke billowed into the sky like smoke from a brick kiln, and the whole mountain shook violently. As the blast of the ram’s horn grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God thundered his reply. The Lord came down on the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.

Exodus 19:17-20a NLT

Americans love to celebrate July 4th - our nation's Independence Day. 

Fireworks are the epitome of Ohhhhhh, shiny! and my family loves them! People the world over are fascinated by bright lights, big noise and smoke screens, but it has to be truly dark for the fireworks to be effective. The bigger - the better! The more - the merrier... but what a mess! Have you ever had to clean up after a fireworks event? Once the sizzle and pizzazz is over, and the smoke clears, all that's left is debris and lots of trash.

That's just one more thing I love about the Lord! When the darkness of this world is at its worst, our God is an all-consuming fire! When He comes down with Holy Ghost fire, He consumes all the debris, all the mess, and leaves that which has life in Him... Beauty for ashes.  In Him, there is the brightest Light, and big noise and smoke, but when His smoke clears, we have new life - made pure by His fire. Yes, beauty for ashes. Illuminated forever by His light.

Prayer:

Father,

        Thank You for Your death-defying, sin-destroying, life-liberating fire in our lives. Consume us, O God, with Your fire. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen