God is a consuming fire

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Exodus 30:11-31:18. God instructs Moses to make utensils and other tools for the altar, and He says to consecrate them so they'll be holy. And then, He says, anything they touch will also become holy.

It's helpful, I think, to think of God as a fire. The Bible tells us that He is a consuming fire, and there is truth to it. Fire will keep you alive if it's freezing outside. It's good for purifying food and killing germs. But it will kill YOU if you enter it without precautions.

When God met Moses on the mountain, the Hebrews were instructed to stay back or they would be killed. And when Moses spent a long time on the mountain with God, he came back with his hair bleached white and his face was glowing.

As we grow in our faith, we become more and more able to spend time in His presence without being "burned". But if we come into His presence without confessing and repenting of our sins... then we will get burnt as those impurities are burned away, cleansing us.

Some useful metaphors that help us see how His love makes us holy, and how we must toss away our sins in order to be in His holy presence.

God, thanks for teaching us how You're like a fire.