Burning Off Our Souls

Scripture:  To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.  Exodus 24:17

I had a natural truth pierce my heart this week while in conversation with my sister.  I was reminded about a Discovery Channel show I watched on forest fires.  Did you know that unless a pine cones reaches a certain temperature it will not germinate?  That is right, without a forest fire to clean undergrowth in a forest and enough heat to germinate pinecones, new trees will not grow.

Well that was brought to mind as my sister described a pain she was experienced with sciatica.  She described it as a pain explosion in her hip that burned.  When she said that, I began to recall the pine cone.  I said to her that perhaps God needs to burn something within her to release a new growth!

That fresh reminder from God soaked into my bones all week as I felt the burn within my own heart from what I have been experiencing in my trials recently. We are all at some stage of forest fire in our lives.  Perhaps something is smoldering, or maybe the flames are licking closer than that for you right now.  Maybe you are standing over a completely charred life and asking how you can recover from a devastating thing like this?  No matter where are standing in the midst of the fire, you have to know that God’s divine plan sees new growth on the horizon.  He is clearing out the forest floor within you, so that new pines will burst forth.

One last thought in respect to the tallest and strongest pine trees in the forest.  They are all charred around the base.  If the fire does not consume them, their trunks are strengthened and they become the tallest trees in the forest!!!  O my goodness, someone needed to hear that today!  Stand strong in the midst of your fire.  Even if you get burned up, he will sprout new life, but if you sustain the fire, you will be strengthen and grow even stronger!  God has plans for you!

In the forest with you,

Leslie Stephens
McMinnville, TN

Prayer:  Almighty God, you care for the forest, how much more do you care for us, your children?  Have mercy on us and burn away the things that encumber us and keep us from fulfilling your perfect will for our lives.  Strengthen our faith and give us peace.  Amen.

Prayer Tip:  Use nature to allow God to speak to you.  When sitting quietly in God’s creation ask for a revelation.  God is peaking through his creation!

To read more astonishing details about forest fire visit this link!