I Choose the Fire

Flames danced and twirled, as tongues of deep orange and bright yellow merged together, then swirled apart. Some faded and dimmed, only to be stirred into full blaze once again. Embers glowed bright, then eerily dark, then bright-- a living thing that looked as if it were actually breathing. Those observing it were transfixed by the constantly changing display which drew them further and further into its seduction. 

                                                
Fire is a beautiful, fascinating thing to observe, entrancing and hypnotic at times, but it is also a mysterious, sometimes dangerous, double-edged sword-- a tool for good or evil.

Many enjoy hours of enjoyment when toasting marshmallows for smores or roasting hotdogs on tree-branch forks over a bonfire, and who can deny the romance of snuggling near a glowing fireplace on a chilly, wintery night?

Fire provides warmth in the cold, cooks our food, purifies contaminated items, and removes unsafe structures in a controlled way. It provides pleasure as well as protection from harm and danger. Properly used, it is a great gift.

But flames can also be destructive. Buildings catch fire and are destroyed, at times taking human lives with it. It can leave permanent, debilitating scars on the life of one who encounters its powers too closely and cause intense pain. Rarely is it extinguished without leaving a definitive, and at times ugly, reminder of its presence. Whether used for good or evil purposes, nothing touched by fire remains unchanged.

It is a living thing. It devours whatever is given for fuel, and sucks in the surrounding air as if gasping for breath. Just as a physical fire needs these things to survive, so does the invisible "fire" inside each of us. It, too, is fueled by the things we feed it. 

We are daily bombarded with visual and auditory "kindling" for our inner fire. Paraded in front of us like sweets in a candy store, we are drawn in. Glamorized sex, violence, abuse, vulgarity, laziness, materialism-- all presented over and over causing us to become engrossed in them. Just like the hypnotic flames of a fire, we find it hard to turn away because we may miss something. Before long, we become captivated by an unholy fire.

The unholy fire's burn comes because it is a trap. To continue watching the mesmerizing dance of this fire it must be fed, and just like a physical fire, this fire consumes what it burns. It starts small-- maybe just a smoldering-- but as it is fueled by continued exposure, the flames grow until the person is completely engulfed. This unholy fire leads to pain, suffering, loss, and eventual death. Its enchantment is deceptive.

But there is another fire. It is the holy fire of God Almighty. Deuteronomy 4:24 states, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." 

He is Holy, and all who come to Him will feel His purifying fire. When we submit ourselves to Him, His holiness burns and consumes all that is not of Him-- evil and unrighteousness; all impurities and sin within us. Then the Holy Spirit ignites a fire within our hearts. As we give ourselves to Him, this holy fire guides and directs our lives and we find purpose and a plan from God Himself. 

Our spiritual fire must also be fed to continue burning. Reading God's Word, worshiping and praying and singing to Him, all fuel the blaze inside us. God's fire consumes more and more of us as we become more like the One who created us. He brings hope and peace; He brings eternal life.

Our lives are going to burn with either a holy fire, or an unholy one. Whichever one we choose, whichever one we feed, will determine the type of fire we are captivated by. We will either be beguiled by the enticing display the world presents, or we can be consumed by a holy God, changed forever to live for Him, and with Him.  

We cannot be smoldering embers. Our inner fire will either die out and be extinguished, or it will be fanned into brilliant flame. Which will you choose? Will you allow the evil of this world to fan your desires into an unholy fire leading to destruction and death, or will you allow the Holy Spirit to blow the embers of your heart into a shining blaze for God? 

As for me, I choose a Holy God. I choose the HOLY Fire.  

 

Heaven, Pt. 8, Will My Beloved Pet Be There?

Will my pet be in heaven? Many pet owners and animal lovers have sought the answer to this question. I often joked that my pets would be in heaven because I made sure they said "The Sinner's Prayer." In reality, I know it isn't something animals can or need do, but it made my heart feel better to think that if they could, they would, and I would find them waiting for me in heaven. 

But the question remains. Will there be pets in heaven? We have to go back to the Garden of Eden.

When Adam and Eve fell into sin, they did so by choice. Sin and death came into this world because of the actions of mankind, not animals. We are the ones who caused the separation between God and man. As a result of this severed relationship, all of creation fell under a curse. All the beauty and life that sang out from plants and animals in perfect Eden was now stifled, weighed down by a heavy cloak; silenced by the overshadowing of evil. The vibrant colors of the entire creation were stripped of their brightness; muted and grayed by the cloud of iniquity that covered and permeated everything on earth.  Even though they did not directly sin, the shroud of sin affected all creation-- plants, animals, fish, the Earth. Death would eventually come to all.

I have had many pets in my lifetime. I grew up on a farm, so cats were a mainstay and my best friends. I would cry and mourn for them when they died, but each spring brought a new batch to fall in love with. I adored them, but I wasn't so attached that I would feel bad if they weren't in heaven.  Besides, as someone I know once said, all cats end up in "purrrrrgatory" anyway! (Sorry cat lovers!)

I also love dogs. I had a beautiful golden cocker spaniel named Ginger. She was a sweet dog! We had her for a number of years, but when we moved to Europe and had to leave her, she became our friends' dog. Their whole family loved, accepted and cherished her deeply. She was a special dog who had won the hearts of two families, and lived a long, happy life.

My current dog is Zala. She is the most spoiled, sweet, adorable little dog ever. She has character and personality that are uncanny. Sometimes she seems more human than dog! When she dies, my heart will definitely break. 

I would love to see these two special dogs in heaven, but honestly, I do not know if they will be. I know there will be animals-- lots of them, and of all kinds. But animals were not created in God's image. They were not created to have personal relationships with their Creator as we are, and they have no need for salvation. If my favorite beloved pet is not in heaven, will I be sad and miss her?  Maybe, but if heaven is a place of no sadness and tears, then I don't think I will. 

Biblical evidence tells us there will be animals in heaven. Heaven is, and will be forever, the restoration of all the once was. It is Eden again-- perfect. Relationship restored; harmony in all of creation. 
Isaiah tells us in Chapter 11:6-8:  

" In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
    the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
    and a little child will lead them all.
⁷ The cow will graze near the bear.
    The cub and the calf will lie down together.                                                                                              The lion will eat hay like a cow.^"

A wolf, a lamb, a leopard, and a baby goat all lying down and living together. No snarling or growling, no stalking and licking one's chops sizing up their next meal. A calf and yearling safe with a lion! And to top it off, a little child will lead them! Can you see a five-year-old taking his pet 400-pound lion for a stroll together? Then the lion sits down and eats grass. Think about that. No longer hunting, stalking and killing for food. They will be vegetarians! Genesis 1:30 says, "I have given every green plant as food for all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—everything that has life.”  

I do not know if God will in some way cause our beloved pets to be in heaven, but we do know there will be no sadness or sorrow. The animals we enjoy here on earth bring us love and joy. If they are with us once again when we get to heaven, it will be wonderful. If they are not, there will be many other creatures to take walks with, cuddle and play with. We will not feel their absence. 

So get ready to swim with dolphins and great whales and sharks! Splash in the rivers of heaven with multitudes of fish and ride a hippo downstream. Get into a racing contest with a cheetah, and swing on tree branches with monkeys. Sit down to rest under a shade tree with a panther and lean against the King of Beasts to snooze. All the animals and birds and fish are free; no cages, no human-made confinements of any kind. Nature and humans in harmony, living together once again in peace.  

Revelations 5:13 says,

^"13 And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

Clearly there will be all sorts of creatures in heaven. They join us as we all bow to our Creator honoring and praising Him; worshiping together as originally designed. 

I can't wait to live, love, play, and enjoy eternity in the best hands-on, interactive zoo ever!