Today’s lessons remind us that the Word of God is a refining fire. God invites our undivided attention and our devotion. But sometimes that call to dedicate ourselves to God has challenging consequences.
Am I a God near by, says the Lord, and not a God far off? Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? (Jeremiah 23:23-34)
The fire of the Holy Spirit seeks to purge us and focus us, but its potency tempts us to try to extinguish it in our lives. As we read verses like this one from of Gospel for the day, we wonder if we have the strength for this purging. “I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed!” (Luke 12:49-50)
Preaching Question
“Do You Jump in the Deep End?”
Home Devotion Questions
Do you think of the Holy Spirit as a purifying fire in your life?
How do you sense God purging the sin from your life?
Can you be set apart from the world, yet still live in and serve in the world?
