On Fire But Not Consumed

By Michelle Wallace

We live in a culture of dependency. This isn’t an indictment on anything or anyone. I don’t have room to judge. I have been dependent on everything the world has to offer at one time or another. And I do mean everything. I could name it all—drugs, relationships, food, money; but there’s not enough room on the page. A friend recently admitted she’s in a co-dependent relationship with her ex-husband. She’s reading a book to help identify what’s keeping her stuck and the author describes how these relationships are like a drug. My friend is an addict who needs to be set free. Our biggest struggles as individuals or groups of people are usually a result of unhealthy dependency.

As I write this, there are politicians in every party promising to fix the problems we face. There is something to be said about holding out hope for our nation. Real and strategic solutions are needed to govern in this hour. However, if we put our confidence in these people to bring true and lasting peace, we will most certainly be disappointed.

It’s not only government, we’ve created a culture of dependency in the church. I’m not sure where you are spiritually, but when I was very young, trying to fill the void with all the aforementioned and unmentioned drugs, I met a woman named Vivian McBee. She taught Bible study in the church I attended. Yes, I attended church, sometimes still drunk from the night before. When the church becomes the hospital for healing of the sick, it’s operating in the fullness of Christ. But I digress. I loved Vivian. She had so much wisdom. And one thing she always told us was that people will always disappoint you. She said there’s only one person you can always rely on, referring to the Lord. I usually believed everything she said, even though she said to always test everything; to hold everything up to the light and let the Spirit of God prove what’s true. However, this statement couldn’t be right. Even though I’d been disappointed by everyone up to that point in my life, Vivian had never once disappointed me. Not one time. Then, she died. My mother in the faith, my confidant, my closest friend, she died. And guess what, I was disappointed.

Please don’t misunderstand me, we need one another! But our greatest need and the only one who will fill us with lasting satisfaction is the Lord. The Word says what a man ultimately desires is unfailing love. Whenever anyone came to Jesus, He always manifested as the answer. He personified unfailing love.

It’s not the donkey or the elephant who is our source, but the Lion and the Lamb. I find it very interesting that this election season has people of every political persuasion saying that their candidate somehow comes up short. Well, this is good news! What if it causes us to search within rather then look up for our hope? We are living in the most exciting times!

Some people look at the darkness and say, these are not exciting times, they are scary times. Some might even blame God. The argument—if He’s all loving and in control why does ISIS exist? Why all the human atrocity? This world is broken, but Christ is in us, the hope of glory can bring life to a dying world. It’s time to take our place. We are not powerless. We do not need to grow weary and defeated, dependent on people or every other drug this world has to offer. Life, real and lasting life, happens when we become dependent on Him. And, no matter how much you rely on Him, unlike worldly drugs, you’ll only receive more life and never be consumed.

When God appeared to Moses it was a picture for us. He appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush. Moses looked. The bush was blazing away but it wasn’t consumed. Moses said, “What’s going on here? I can’t believe this! Amazing! Why doesn’t the bush burn up?” God saw that he had stopped to look and called to him from out of the bush. He said “Moses! Moses!” Moses responded, “Yes? I’m right here!”

“Remove your sandals from your feet. You’re standing on holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father: The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.”

God explained that He had seen the pain and bondage of His people in Egypt. He had heard their cries for deliverance and wanted to move on their behalf and bring them into a good land. He would send Moses to bring them out. Moses questioned God’s plan, “Why me? What makes you think I could do this?” God answered, “I’ll be with you. And this will be the proof that I am the one who went with you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship me right here at this very mountain.”

Often times, we see something yet we don’t respond. But Moses turned to look and saw the manifestation of God’s love in fire that didn’t consume. We need to look less at the darkness and see the wild and amazing thing God is doing. Then pause long enough to hear His voice. He wants to speak to you. He wants to bring us into a good land. There will always be pharaohs, oppressors, but God is infinitely greater. He is with you, you can count on Him!

Connect with Michelle at www.HandofTheKing.com.