He is a fire

Let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire. – Hebrews 12:28-29

On December 5, 2002, the headline announced:

Ring of fire encircles Sydney

A firestorm was raging outside the Australian city. Many people feared that this bushfire would prove to be Sydney’s worst in decades. Fanned by strong winds, high temperatures, and low humidity, the fire jumped across roads and rivers, consuming every thing in its path.

When we think about the destructive power of that kind of inferno, we gain a better understanding of the startling words of Hebrews 12:29, "Our God is a consuming fire."

Why did the author of Hebrews use such graphic imagery to describe the Lord? In his letter he was dealing with spiritual life-and-death issues – what his readers believed and the reality of their faith. Their response would reveal whether they were investing their lives in the kingdom that will last forever, or in the one destined for destruction.

We too need to remember that this world and all we possess are only temporary. If our faith and hope are in Jesus Christ, we are part of a kingdom that cannot be destroyed (v. 28). Knowing that our days on earth are numbered and that "our God is a consuming fire," let us serve Him and invest in things that are imperishable. – Albert Lee

Our God is a consuming fire

And will destroy earth’s temporal things;

He seeks to purify our lives

For service to the King of kings. – D. De Haan

READ: Hebrews 12:25-29

Hold tightly to what is eternal and loosely to what is temporal.