Let the Fire Burn

Let the Fire Burn: Drawing Near to God’s Refining Presence

Fire is a powerful metaphor for God that is used throughout Scripture. We first see Him as fire in the burning bush—a fire that glows but does not burn the bush up (Exodus 3:2–3). This is an interesting contrast with Hebrews 12:29, where the Hebrew writer describes God as a “consuming fire.” These two may seem at odds, but perhaps together they offer a fuller picture of God’s nature; we are invited to hold these two images in tension.

Fire that is contained is beautiful and warm—inviting fellowship, giving light, and serving as the means to prepare food. However, fire can also be one of the most destructive forces in the universe, capable of burning away whole forests and washing through entire cities. We must not deceive ourselves by limiting our view of God as a cheerful fire to be ignited and extinguished at our will. It is sobering to realize God “can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28); after all, the Hebrew writer says, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

If we are wise, we will welcome both aspects of the fire of God. If we fear Him as holy, we will humble ourselves in obedience to His justice. But instead of letting that repel us, we will draw near to His illuminating presence and allow His fire to consume what He deems impure.

 

Scripture Highlights

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you… Purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8–10).

“These [trials] have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed” (1 Peter 1:7).

When we draw near to God’s holy fire, it will burn away only what must be removed. In His wisdom, mercy, and love, God restrains His judgment—not to destroy us, but to refine us. Though the refining may be painful, it is good, because what remains is what is being perfected, shaping us more fully into His image, which is His goal (Romans 8:29).

When Moses drew near to God in the burning bush, God gave him a commission. Some time later, Moses spent 40 days with God on a mountain that shook with fire and smoke—so intense was the experience that Moses’s face literally changed to shine with God’s glory. However, over time, the glory faded.

But we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken! So we continually draw near to this consuming fire, welcoming His powerfully transforming love—and the glory will never fade from our faces. Paul writes about this in 2 Corinthians:

“We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away…. We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:13, 18).

Reflections

This stunning meditation on the fire of God is both awe-inspiring and humbling. To think that the same fire which called to Moses from the bush is the fire that refines us today—it truly feels like a mystery. God’s fire does not consume us, but transforms us.

I’m especially moved by the reminder from James that when we approach God as He invites us—reverently, humbly, honestly, with pure hearts and clean hands—His fire purifies rather than punishes. He consumes our distractions, burns away our impurities, and refines our hearts for His purposes.

For me, this doesn’t come easily. It takes practice to learn how to be truly reverent, humble, and honest before Him. Too often, I catch myself covering up guilt or justifying my attitudes, words, and actions. Yet the more I remember His grace, the more willing I am to confess my sins and weaknesses. And in that confession, something beautiful happens: the blood of Christ cleanses me—cleanses us—from all sin and unrighteousness. It strikes me that it is in the practicing that we begin to find the perfecting.

Like gold in a furnace, the Apostle Peter reminds us that the trials and refining that God allows are never wasted. Though they are often painful in the moment, they become priceless in hindsight. They shape us, strengthen us, and help us reflect His image more clearly to the world.

It is my prayer that we—that I—will not grow weary or give up when life grows hard. In fact, it is in those moments of fire that we must draw nearer still to God. May we not let fear or anxiety drive us away. May we never take lightly the gift Jesus gave us: the ability to dwell in God’s presence. Instead, let’s draw near with awe, with wonder, and with expectancy—trusting that even the painful refining is part of His great love at work in us.

Trust God Almighty—not merely as the fixer of our woes, but as the Purifier of our souls.

Let the fire burn.
“Ever-increasing glory”—yes, Lord!