Issue 1314 – A Fiery Place – December 5, 2023

The campsite was empty except for me, and I only stopped to make lunch while fishing. It wasn’t on any map, just a spot by the river where an old cabin used to stand. Years after the cabin had been abandoned, someone decided to turn it into a rustic camp spot. Stone from the cabin’s chimney had been used to make a fire pit, and a piece of the roof covered a stack of firewood, keeping it dry.

A Folgers’ gallon coffee can was nailed to a tree, and a roll of toilet paper was hidden inside. The plastic lid kept the paper dry. There was a shovel handy to bury your waste.

When you camped there, you were expected to clean up afterwards and replenish whatever firewood and other supplies you used. These were simple rules that, for the most part, were abided by in those days.

The campsite fire pit hadn’t been used in a while, maybe not since last fall’s hunting season. A spider had made its home in the fire pit. The intricate web covered the entire top of the fire pit, and I’m sure it resulted from many hours of patient labour. I shooed the spider away and began to stack wood for my fire.

The spider came back quickly. I shooed it away again. It happened yet again.

I lit my kindling. The spider came back and began to crawl down into the pit. A sudden burst of flame was the last thing the spider ever knew.

We’re not much different than the spider. We diligently build the intricate web of our lives. That web can be swept away at any time by circumstances outside our control.

We dance above the flames in our sin, and God shoos us away. We come back again and again.

Sometimes, God’s wrath descends on us as He gives us over to our sinful ways.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honour him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonouring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonourable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 1:18-31

It’s a dangerous thing to be under the wrath of God. The longer we stay there, the more damage can be done. The longer we stay there, the less likely we are to hear God calling us into His forgiving and loving arms.

Yet, some must hit bottom before calling out to Him. They must destroy the very fabric of the webbing that holds their world together. Relationships crumble, self-respect is destroyed, and normal life becomes impossible. Loneliness, bitterness, anger, addictions, crime and sorrow may follow as they plummet ever faster in the cycle of self-destruction.

It’s painful to watch, especially if the person is someone we care about. For those of us watching, we must never give up on them. We need to pray diligently. As long as they are alive, there is hope of rescue.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. Jude 1:20-23 NIV

We can’t save someone who insists on dancing on the spider’s web above the flames of destruction, but we serve an Almighty God who can. He doesn’t give up on them, even when they’re under His wrath. The nation of Israel fell frequently under the wrath of God for their disobedience. Still, there was always a remnant of people praying. Every time the people repented and turned back to Him, God showed them mercy. He can do the same in our lives.

Until next time, rejoice in the incredible faithfulness of a God who loves us enough to let us face the consequences of our own actions and still waits for us with love and forgiveness.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God alone)

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

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