
It was hot. Really hot. Things were burning to her left and to her right. Everything was going up in flames, consuming anything that dared to be in the way. Fadeke held tight to what was in her hand, and then she closed her eyes. She was under a wet blanket, silently praying that she would not be devoured. She heard a loud bang. Something was falling right next to her, in bits and pieces...it sounded like the silver ceiling fan. "Oh, Lord. Please send help." The computer crashed, her CDs, the big screen TV, the couches in the living room, the dining table furniture...they were all going up in flames. She held tight to the precious thing in her hand. She will protect it. At least until someone rescued her. It was either that, or she would die protecting it. It was the scroll that contained the poem her mother wrote for her, before she passed away last year...the flames were not going to get this one.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Many times, I have had the crazy feeling of flames consuming me, and everything I have. I have felt like Solomon felt when he said, "Vanity upon vanity, all is vanity." There have been some things I have worked for, only to see them falling down to pieces. Or only to find myself going back to square one again, starting right back from the very beginning. Just like an endless cycle. It is like the work of a ferocious fire, consuming everything that dares to come into its path. But there is hope...
The fire in this context represents something that consumes your possessions (as in your spirituality, character, strength, hard earned work, academics, career life, family, friends, relationships, and so on). The fire may come to you, but it will not devour your soul and your spirit. Like Fadeke held tight to her precious poem, God is holding tight to you. But why should there even be fire? It is because without fire you cannot be established as fine gold. Gold first has to be purified by passing it through the fire. The fire causes a washing out of senseless impurities that should not have been there in the first place. Guess what I'm trying to say? There will be an end to the fire. There will be the end of the purification process. Though it seems as though the fire prevails, it does not understand the power of the extinguisher. Your training process does not take the whole of your life. The fire only burns for a while.
So let the fire take its course. Let it be ferocious for all it wants. Those things that need to be preserved, I tell you, they WILL be preserved. YOU will be preserved. You just focus on God, and learn what you need to learn from the flames burning around you.
PHOTO by photobucket.
20 comments:
Jaycee...You've got so much profound stuff in here...
So excited to know that God is holding tight to me...My walls are continually before Him
Thanks for sharing this WORD...I am preserved...
Jaycee oh... kai, with all my stalking I still did not make first.. lol..
I am thankful papap that in the middle of the flames that I am in, you are holding onto me ever so tightly. aweeee girl. I love this post.. I think daddy seems to be reading to us from the same page... :-))).. thanks for sharing love.. have an awesome weekend.
I find myself coming again and again reading from these pages that never fails to inspire.
True God shields us from all flames that comes our way. His word says when we go through the fire we will not be burn, or through the rivers we will not drown, for he will go through it with us, carrying us safely to safety.
Right now there are people going through economic flames, flames of natural deseaster, flames of sickness, flames of marriage break down, flames of fear of terrorist attack, fear not you will not be burnt, for the lord our God is with us.
".....let the fire take its course.."
you got it all here
Preparedness and submision?
u are too popular now
i got here as soon as i could
i'm still not first
i love this song
I can't believe it is Kelly clarkson
not only was i the fifth person on the blog
but i also awarded you for the fifth time
check it out
one more thing
we cannot be reading the same book at the same time
A voice in the wind
mercy the first time i read this book i beleive was in 2002 and lets just say i cried and cried
and then last week i got it from teh library again and today read the first couple of chapters and once again was blown away by Hadaasssah love and peace and compassion admidst the storm
oh and i love the new cover that you have on your blog
i haven't seen that cover before
hmm
okay
i'm done
breath of fresh air... thank you
***sigh***
The Lord is God above all things and forever in Control. He is the mighty deliverer the GREAT I AM. He says when you pass through the fire He is there with you. The Lord is indeed God.
Thanks for your encouraging words
In times of trouble I always try and hold tightly on to God just like she held tightly on to that letter
oh God! Jaycee, God had me in mind when He made you write this post. I've been asking serious questions about the fire and flames burning around me but thanks for reminding me, it's just a purification process! And i'll come out finer on the other side!
Thanks girl! Hope you and mr are doing well!
Sometimes, it's so hard to stay focused because the flames are so much, you know. So many things are burning. You burn for so long that you begin to wonder if rescue will ever come or if you'll burn to death. And all around you, people are being rescued.
It's not easy.
But I stay faithful. I have to stay faithful. Weeping only endures for the night, and joy comes in the morning, right? I'm waiting for my morning.
Jaycee!!
its been a while..hope ur weekend was lovely
i feel lyk fire's stalkin me.on saturday my pastor talked abt fire and i came here n saw...the flames!!
lovely post jc..
sthg else i learnt abt fire..
u knw d part of the Bible dat sez john the baptist baptised ppl with water but jesus was goin to baptise dem with fire, its bcus fire neva leaves anything the same, it either destroys or purifies as u pointed out.
my dear,you have said nothin but the truth but this fire is not comfy at all o...its burning n its so difficult to focus God pls i nned ur air conditioner...pls God!
As my faith has grown in God, I have come to appreciate the fire and flames. They get me excited now! Its like yes, now God lets see you do what you do and deliver me! It allows me to put my faith into practice. For I also know that after the burning, I'll get to a higher place on mount Zion, a better place of rest, a higher level of faith.
So my dear "burn baby burn!", for in a little while, in the midst of the ashes will emerge the beauty of His holiness!
God Bless you as always! Hope wedding plans are coming along great!
i so needed to hear this...something doesn' quite feel right with me and i'm beginning to feel like things around me at work are going up in smoke
Everyone...I've read every single comment on this page...
When flames go up, we need to let it take its course. Soon enough the Extinguisher will come, and the flames will be no more.
I'm speechless and in awe of a mighty God. Every morning I wake up is a confirmation that He exists, because with the early morning sun, JOY comes!
Kafo...ha ha ha...you cried too...LOLLL...I cried so many times as I read about Hadassah.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series...
The song that came to my mind immediately was Kirk Franklin's song
"I have gone through the fire and I have been through the flood, I have been broken into pieces, seen lightning fall from above but through it all I remember that he loves me and he cares and he will never put more on me than i can bear".
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