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A Purifying Perspective on Fire, God, and Life

11.30.2018 by Kim Findlay //

This month at Facets of Faith we’ve been taking a look at what we believe to be God’s most precious attribute. You will want to check out Tracy and Jen’s posts as well as our guest this month, Erin. 

Attribute: Refining Fire (K. Findlay)

I have to be honest, this topic gave me a run for my money. I’m a week late and wrestling with each word I’m about to share. Not just because I struggle to narrow it down to one aspect of his vast character, but because of this season of life I find myself in right now.

Hard. Lonely. Intense.

It ranks up there with the death of my daughter and the slow decay of my first marriage. I feel like I’m in the furnace of struggle and God is burning off the excess, separating the impurities of my life with what is precious and most valuable.

Perspective

As I sat with the idea of identifying His most precious attribute, I was surprised when the words refiner’s fire came to mind.

I don’t like fire. I’ve seen its destructive power firsthand when fire destroyed my home in 2005. I know the suffocating effects it leaves in its path as my daughter, Emma, died in its wake.

But you don’t have to have firsthand experience with your own fire these days to glimpse fire’s power. Just turn on the news and you’ll see the destruction in places like Paradise, California and through the path of the Camp fire.

So it’s curious to me that as I pondered this month’s question that I didn’t choose his peace, his hope, or his faithfulness —all of which are true. I circled this other answer, words I’m almost fearful to whisper but have been buried in my soul for years.

Refiner’s fire

My heart’s one desire

is to be holy

Set apart for you, Lord

I choose to be holy

Set apart for your my Master

Ready to do your will

I first heard this song by Brian Doerkson back in the early 2000s. Before fire destroyed our home. Before my daughter took her final breath. Before life as I knew it smoldered with suffering. I remember singing the words and longing for them to be true in my life, I just didn’t realize the cost.

Remembering

I remember the moment my heart, my soul, and my mind converged in longing to see God move in a mighty way through my life. I witnessed the devastation of a former co-worker’s life. His story impacted me greatly as he stood before our staff and shared not only the destruction, but the hope and the intimacy he experienced as God restored his life.

I want that. I remember thinking. I want to know Jesus the way I see he knows Jesus now. Then I prayed, Lord, do whatever it takes so I might know you better, so I might live and long for you as my one desire.

to him who led his people through the wilderness; His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:16

The Furnace

The very next day, fire broke out in my home and everything changed as I plunged into the furnace of suffering. I had no idea what I was supposed to do or how I would survive. My worst nightmare had become my reality as the heat of sorrow and grief suffocated me. I felt alone and afraid and so very lost.

I see now that I wasn’t lost. Not really. Nor was I alone. God sent reinforcements from the moment smoke began to billow in the sky through the gift of a neighbor. He reminded me through my daughter’s funeral director of a very different yet slightly similar story I’ve know since I was a child.

There were these three guys, maybe you’ve heard of them? Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego, three guys who made a decision to not worship King Nebuchadnezzar despite his declaration that all must bow down before the image of gold he had set up. You can read more of their story here (Daniel 3:1-30). But their decision to stand firm and worship the one true God had dire consequences: “Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Daniel 3:6

Into the furnace they went, bound and tied. 

This kind funeral director didn’t leave me standing in the flames alone, he led me straight to the truth. “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?’ ‘Yes, your Majesty, we certainly did,’ they replied. ‘Look!’ Nebuchadnezzar shouted. ‘I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!’” Daniel 3:24-25

Jesus was with these three men, and this gentle man reminded me that Jesus was with me as well.

So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisors crowded around them ands that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their head was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke!” Daniel 3:26b-27

The Ashes

I wish I didn’t carry the scars of the fire, but I do. Deep scars of loss and grief and suffering beyond what I ever imagined possible. But just like these three men, I’ve stepped out of the fire and survived. But I’ve not only survived, I’m being refined to resemble Jesus. I still have a ways to go, but it’s happening. And others see it, too, as I shared thoughts and experiences that could only be offered through the gift of Jesus’ presence.

I’m learning to be grateful for all of the hardship that’s happened. I’m not a fan of it, let’s just set that record straight. But I see what He’s doing in me, and through me. I see how He’s been transforming me and how I’ve learned more about Him over the past 13 years than I ever thought possible.

He remembered us in our low estate His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:23

Purifying Perspective

A refiner’s fire purifies. It separates the precious from the impure. Because of the fire, I’ve learned that God’s mercy has no limits and His grace never runs out. Because of the fire I’ve experienced the depth of His love, true and everlasting love from which I can never be separated no matter what happens or what I do.

Because of the fire I faced my biggest fears and, by His strength, I survived. And I’ve not only survived, I’m living and breathing and enjoying this life He’s entrusted to me.

Because of the fire I can say with certainty that God is good no matter what. His goodness has absolutely nothing to do with me or the circumstances that happen to me. They have everything to do with Him —His character, His essence, simply put —His is good.

Because of the fire my desire for God’s kingdom to come has grown exponentially. I long to see Him now, not just the hope or wish of heaven in the future. I experience the gift of His Spirit now. But I also have the promise of heaven, knowing that all of this pain and suffering and sorrow and tears will end. I will see my sweet girl and I will see Jesus!

Because of the fire I learned to see the battle —the very real battle that is happening between the kingdom of heaven and kingdom of darkness and I know, without a doubt, that Jesus is victorious. I tasted that victory in the darkness of grief. I tasted hope that defies my circumstances.

Because of the fire I learned to see beyond myself, my selfish desires, and my eyes have grown accustomed to see God throughout my every day. I learned to recognize His voice, His promptings, His gifts —so much of what I could not see before.

No, while fire is certainly not the most precious thing, it has led me to all that is precious. It led me to Him. And while I still long to see my girls grow up together, to celebrate the 13 birthdays I’ve missed, to not feel the stabbing pain as my precious girl danced into heaven, I can’t help but see the tenderness as God heal my heart and restores my soul.

And just like Shadrach, Mischeck, and Abednigo, I walked with Jesus through the fire and there is nothing more precious than that.

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:26

What attribute of God is most precious to you? Join the conversation by posting below or jump over to our Facebook page to share.

Signature: Kim Findlay

Categories // Kim Findlay's Perspective, Precious Attributes of God Tags // God's goodness, grief, healing, hope, Kim Findlay, Perspective, perspective shift, suffering

Reckless Love Endures. Receive It.

11.27.2018 by Erin Thompson //

This month FACETS of Faith continues its exploration of God’s most enduring attributes, inspired by Psalm 136.  This week, we invite our friend and guest contributor Erin Nicole Thompson to share what she finds most enduring about God. Erin is the founder of Be Brilliant Ministries and the author of Daughters: Your Identity Rescued, Your Value Restored.  For more information about her ministry or Bible study, check out her website.

And for more inspiration of God’s enduring attributes, check out Tracy’s piece on God’s faithfulness and Jennifer’s piece about God’s graciousness.

Without further ado, let Erin’s words wash over you, revealing God’s heart for each of you precious readers.  We pray you are changed because God met you in and through it.

What is your best attribute? Your most enduring, inherent quality? What do others count on you for? Mercy? Wisdom? Kindness? Are you stumped? It can be a hard question to answer for ourselves.

Well, how about your spouse? Your parents? Or what about God?

What attribute of God do you just love? Appreciate most? Which is most precious to you?

For me?

It’s nice you asked.

My initial response was goodness. God’s goodness. That must be it.

But no.

Sometimes I struggle to understand His goodness in a situation, at least due to my limited perspective. Sometimes His goodness feels far off. Maybe you can relate.

So what is my most constant, consistent conviction of who God is to me?

Love.

The most precious attribute of God: Reckless Love (E. Thompson)

Reckless love. Relentless love.

Ever-present. Ever-reaching. Ever-lasting. Never–ending.

God’s love – the reality of it, my experience of it, and my response to it – has to be His most precious inherent attribute to me.

It is more than an attribute. It is a reality. “God is love” (1 John 4:16). His very essence.  His being. Love. He doesn’t just give it. He is it.

And because of that, His love is unlike any that has been experienced or existed on earth.

His love is unfailing. It is described as such a whopping 141 times in the Bible. I think that deserves a mic-drop.

We all can sing, “Jesus loves me.” But it seems more often we struggle to be satisfied by God’s love.

If that is you, I understand. Because for more years than I would like to acknowledge, I knew God loved me but I struggled to feel His love. To receive it.

So if you’re like me, here is a five-step-start down the road to be satisfied by the love of God.

“For the Lord your God is living among you.

He is a mighty savior.

He will take delight in you with gladness.

With his love, he will calm all your fears.

He will rejoice over you with joyful songs” (Zephaniah 3:17).

Each line of Zephaniah 3:17 is like the guidance of a GPS. Each line shows us where to start and where to turn next. It guides us into an experience of the love of the Father.

“For the Lord your God is living among you.”

First, recognize God’s presence. We need to acknowledge it. When we rise in the morning and moan, “must have coffee,” realize God is with you. As you stumble to the coffee maker say, “Good Morning.”

“He is a mighty savior.”

As your fingers feel the reality of the heat through the mug, request God to fight for you in the day’s battles. Lay your worries at His feet. And realize that He is a mighty savior and no match for what faces you that day. Our second turn is to request God to fight for you and realize He will prevail.

“He will take delight in you with gladness.”

After we invite the Lord into our worries, we can allow our eyes to be lifted to His face. And let’s not stare at the floor but look into His eyes. Deep into His eyes and see how He feels about us. What He thinks of us. Because He calls us beloved. Chosen. His. Adored. Sought out. If that is what He thinks of you, what is His gaze like? May those realities allow you to feel His delight.  Receive it.

“With his love, he will calm all your fears.”

Next, we rest in God’s love. “Perfect love expels all fear” (1 John 4:18). Do you have any fears?  I do.  But when I stand in God’s perfect love, it is the closest I come to being fearless. To rest in that love maybe you need to sit. Or kneel with your face to the floor. As He sings over you because…

“He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

God serenades you.  Loudly. Boldly. Proudly. You are His, He is yours and He wants everyone to know it. He rejoices over you. You bring Him joy.  Let that sink in and then respond. Show Him how you feel about that. Respond to God’s adoration and see if you feel blessed. Free. Forgiven. Released from the burdens of this world and the baggage you have been dragging around. And then run, run into His arms and allow your soul to be surrounded in His embrace.

His reckless love is present. It is pursing you. Fighting for you. Delighting in you. Calming you. Rejoicing over you.

We must receive it. Respond. And soon God’s enduring essence will become our defining feature.  Reckless love.

Take a moment to receive.  Enjoy and receive.

What enduring attribute of God’s do you value most?  Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Categories // Guest Perspectives, Precious Attributes of God Tags // 1 John 4:16, 1 John 4:18, Reckless Love, Zephania 3:17

God is…Gracious!

11.13.2018 by Jennifer Howe //

This month the FACETS are thinking about the character of God, the precious attributes revealing facets of Almighty God to us. Tracy wrote on God’s faithfulness here. Visit next Tuesday to find out which attribute Kim chose. Finally, we have a guest sharing the following Tuesday. I love each writer’s choice and voice. I hope you will, too.

The most precious attribute of God is: Gracious (J. Howe)

Then the Lord passed in front of him [Moses] and proclaimed: Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth Exodus 34:6 CSB

Sweet friend, can I be honest for a pair of minutes? I need grace. I need more of it than the average Jo, no lie. Some days I’m more sensitive to my failings and have to admit Paul’s words both pierce and offer healing balm to my soul:

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16 NLT

I’m a writer who lives in a world of words. Those same words are weapons I draw on a terrible, horrible, no-good day. Anyone can dip into “strengths” for the wrong reasons or intent, right? Then an insidious whisper hisses, “Jesus can’t love me. I’ve messed up too much. I’m disqualified. Again.” The voice of the liar gets in my head, sometimes my heart, too often. Maybe you’ve heard the voice with an accusation. It can crush us if we’re not careful to make intentional choices.

Accept the gift of grace. A precious gift was given. We see it in John 3:16-17—

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved… CJB

The Son, Jesus, came for a purpose. He came to represent the Father and us—to fix the gap between holiness and humanity. He was both God and man, all on a rescue mission for us, who could do nothing about the problem on our own. Since we couldn’t earn it and don’t deserve it, that’s grace! Jesus is the display of God’s gracious character on our behalf. I just love that. And I desperately need it! (You too?)

Once upon a time, I made an intentional decision. I wanted that. I wasn’t clear on how it the gift of grace happened, but I knew I wanted it, and I asked wholeheartedly. I was a beggar doing what beggars do. Sometimes when you have a need, you ask…and ask…and ask again. I needed some kind of do-over. The Good Father meets the need through Jesus. The Father’s child knows to come, ask, and shelter in the Father’s house. Then the child becomes an heir to the inheritance, in this case, beautiful grace!

Be willing to accept the gift and accept what He says. The gift of grace is for you, through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Whatever you do, hang on to that truth with all you’ve got. Grasp it like your life depends on it. Never let go! This is daily acceptance or rejection of truth, in my experience. We choose daily, friend; let’s choose well.

Beware the lies! The enemy of our souls wants nothing more than to destroy any hope, truth, or connection to our Father through the Son. So he strews a path of lies to obscure the way. Root out the lies by comparing the voice you hear to the Bible. When the voice matches the Word of God in good context, you can rest in the truth. When lies come, you’ll see them for what they are.

Let’s allow God to love us through words in Scripture. Let’s be loved. Then we can love others.

Remember my struggle with word weapons? Some conviction is truth mixed with lies. It’s true my words must become increasingly filled with truth and love and grace (because God’s people become more like the character of God). But there is no shame with truth because “no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). There’s a chasm of difference between Holy Spirit’s whisper of conviction to repent and the shame-filled hiss of the enemy. One leads to freedom; the other spirals into a trap.

Practice receiving the gift of grace. The longer we’ve listened to the hiss, the more difficult it may be to meet it with truth. We need to sit with Scripture, wash the mind with it, and counter the lies with truth. That takes time, repetition, and practice!

It’s a choice to receive grace. If we choose not to receive it, we land in a pit of pride. We isolate and insulate. In my experience isolation leads to anger, frustration, and sadness. Hope is absent. That’s a choice—but not a life I want. (None of us wants that.)

I practice receiving truth and love by spending time with Him throughout the day. I read what He has to say. I want to talk to Him often. Good habits to cultivate, for sure, but the relationship doesn’t rest on some fuel I generate through effort (it would for sure fall flat!).

Grace is a gift created and given by the giver. We can’t earn or deserve it. Because He is compassionate and gracious, His gift is always more than we can think or imagine. Think of how lavish that is!

Grace. I’m thankful for enduring grace! Now I want to respond in love to Him for that amazing gift—I want to live differently because grace leads to repentance…and fierce and fiery love for Him and others.

Which attribute is precious to you? We all want to know. Share in the comments below or at our Facebook Page.

Signature, Jennifer Howe

Categories // Faith, Jennifer Howe's Perspective, Precious Attributes of God Tags // 1 Timothy 1:16, Exodus 34:6, Facets of Faith, Faith, Grace, Jennifer J Howe, John 3:16-17, Lies we believe, Receiving grace, truth

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