God – Friend or foe
Fire has been one of man’s best friends for a long time. Yet it manifests itself within a strange relationship. One minute humans long to create a warm blazing fire, other times it is their worst enemy where brave souls try to fight it with water to put it out. When the match goes out too soon it’s very frustrating, but if the garden bonfire gets out of hand and threatens to burn down the neighbour’s tree, the roaring red flames become a problem to be extinguished.
There are so many things in life which seem to live a double life; One minute for good the next for bad.
Take another base element water, for some it’s a precious life giving resource which by virtue of being in short supply can mean a thin line between life and death. For others the demise of a rising flood water cannot come soon enough.
On one hand a young child longs that clean water would come in all its life giving abundance , while another child, clinging to the house roof as the raging flood waters rise, watches as her father sweeps away the muddy water with vengeance.
A reaction from either side of the fence on such matters would be seen a correct response to the problem ahead.
My question to you would be what is your reaction to God’s overwhelming love and generosity at this very point in time, today, this very hour. Would it be you long for more revelation of who He is and a greater desire to see his influence on your life. Or on the other hand, you may be someone who’s life is not where you would want it to be and you have many questions as to where is God right now in this situation. How come he seems to not care and stands at a distance.
Maybe your health or finances are not good and anxiety for the future looms heavy on your mind. A few months ago this father God, was pouring out blessing upon blessing. Now your heart seems to tell you all has gone very quiet on the God front.
Those who are knee deep in flood water would be happy to give it all to the child on the T.V standing near the dried up well. When all around us is as it should be we can so easily sink back into a sense of wellbeing and that all is well.
As the walls begin to crumble around us we tend to look to see who has deserted us and left us high and dry. Yet God’s promise to his people is “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” That’s a promise which all too often can just roll off our tongues especially if we are sitting squarely on the mountain top of life’s blessings.
Two things to consider as the weather warnings of the flood or as the fire begins to get out of control.
1) Remember God genuinely knows your future and just how things will turn out. We need to trust Him even when we cannot see how this problem, staring us in the face, will ever be solved. That’s easier to say this than believe it but until we fully stop and submit to the ancient advice from the creator of this universe “Be still and know that I am God” we will always be firefighting.
If you are like me the panic sets in all too frequent only for me to realise fairly soon it’s not as bad as I make it out to be and yes God has been at work with all things for good.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans Chapter 8 verse 28
2) It might be the last thing on your mind when disaster strikes or bad news hits like a punch bag, but one thing I have found that works so good is to Stop and Pray. That’s easier said than done, but to cry out to your heavenly father and tell him all your emotions, thoughts, worries, fears or what you long to have. You may be saying right that’s one of the hardest things to try and do. I’m with you on that one, and I guess many other Christians down through the centuries. Try this, remember what you know of God’s character and just sing out those attributes. Our God is an unchanging God so the faithfulness you knew yesterday will still be there today and tomorrow.
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations chapter 2 verses 22-23
The God who brought you through the turbulent waters last time is by your side again. His love for you has not changed. the father to child relationship is still as strong now as it was before.
We may feel anger towards God for our current position but that angry feeling does not change the relationship. We are still his children, he is still our all loving forgiving father. What may feel different is the intimacy of that relationship. God’s presence may seem distant and but a shadow of times gone by. Yet the relationship that created the most beautiful purpose filled friendship known to man can never be broken or fade away. God cannot un-father himself from us.
What we need to do is once again acknowledge the relationship has been made possible by God’s grace and love for mankind and nothing else is required of us to regain that intermit bond. A supernatural reconciliation that was sealed on the cross by Christ’s Blood. The best cure for a heart that feels cold towards giving praise to God is to actually start praising him. Soon you will not want to stop.
Fire good or bad, it’s how you handle it and whether you want it to warm your heart and soul and to cause the passion in your soul to burn brighter for the King of Kings.