Burn

I have always been intrigued by analogies and sayings that seem so oxymoron to the core that you have to sit and think about the actual meaning. I have found from my simple not very hermeneutical study of Christ, that people viewed Christ in many different ways. Most people view Christ as this meek, kind hearted, not gonna cause trouble kind of guy, and He wasn't that at all. Look at all the paintings that we have of Christ, He is portrayed most of the time as someone weak and fragile. When in essence, He is the God that opens the skies for rain to fall, who tells the oceans where to stop on the shoreline. My God has been called many names but one that I find fascinating is the desciption of Him, as a Consuming Fire. My mom was burned very badly by a fire accident when I was in middle school, so I do not have fond memories of fire. So when I hear that my God is a consuming fire, it seems like one of those oxymorons that doesn't seem right. When I think of fire, I think of total consummation. I think of something that envelops something so fast, and makes such an impact that the object in which it was consuming will never be the same. If we view God, in this way, should our lives not be different? Should we not look completely and totally enveloped by God, that others can no longer see us? I'm so tired of religion and rules.... I want relationships to happen. For those Christ followers, fires never pick and choose what they will burn, its all or nothing. You can't decide what your going to surrender and keep. Surrender everything, because we serve a jealous God, who wants to consume you. Let God transform you into what He wants....Don't be afraid to burn.