Consuming Fire of God’s Love
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Hebrews 11:1-3, 14-15, 28-29
1. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2. For by it the men of old received divine approval. 3. By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear. 14. Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15. See to it that no one fail to obtain the grace of God; that no "root of bitterness" spring up and cause trouble, and by it the many become defiled; 28. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; 29. for our God is a consuming fire.
Grace is what it’s all about! Through God’s grace, we receive the gift of faith. Faith leads us to good works. Good works serve as testimony to our faith. It’s like a circle, one comes out of the other, and leads us back around to the beginning. Grace. Faith. Works. Our responsibility is to continue this cycle; to model how it all works for those who don’t believe or understand.
Verse 1 is my “life creed.” I hope for eternity in heaven, and through God’s grace, I believe I will spend forever there. But what is required in the meantime? We are to see to it that no one misses the grace of God and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. The verses between 3 and 14 recite all the faithful believers up to the present day (of Hebrews). Each of those mentioned stepped out in faith and did something counter to what the world expected, accepted, or understood!
And if we’re living as we should, “the world” will view us that way! Not that we are perfect, just perfectly faithful. Not that we are models of Christian faith, just a model of how to search for the heart of faith. Not that we have any of the answers, just that we ask the questions. And then we go one step farther. We offer acceptable worship, with reverence and awe. We throw ourselves into the consuming fire of God’s love, power, might, salvation, grace! Jump on in! Take your friend’s hand and pull them along with you!
Live rightly. Teach others. Show them the truth. Look around you and see this world that God created with a thought and a sigh. This same God offers us eternal life! Keep the faith! Because the same God who created the earth, watches over it, and all of us upon it. He rejoices when we bring another to Christ, and he weeps when one falls away. He mourns when we overlook an opportunity to make another disciple, and sighs in frustration when we refuse to live like we’re saved! But the good news is: Grace!
So how do we live grace-filled lives? How do we live so that others see us and want what we possess—not things, inner peace, ability to ride out any storm life presents us, power to love even those who hate us, desire to be thankful for the many blessings in our lives, which do not detract from our challenges and struggles. Rather we rejoice in them, because we know that God is working out our salvation through them. How?
Prayer, worship, more prayer. Read the bible, go to church, surround yourself with Christian friends. Take time out to be alone with God every single day. Get up a few minutes early, or stay up a little bit later, and just let God fill you with his wisdom and power and love. Easy? Nope. Worth it? Definitely! Live like you’re saved. Throw yourself into the fire! Live like you’ve got nothing to lose! Live fully every day! Tell the world whose you are! How? By faith! I want to be counted among those faithful on the judgment day! I want God to look at me and say, “Come on home.”
I hope you spend today celebrating this world created by God, rejoicing in the Son of God, who died for us through God’s will, and living like you’ve got nothing on this earth to lose!
Mary
