Proclaim and Praise Lent Devotional - Book - Page 87
Proclaim and Praise: A Lenten Journey for Abiding in Christ
DAY 37
The Church on Fire
See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have
tested you in the furnace of affliction.
Isaiah 48:10
M
onterey pine trees that grow in California have pine
cones that remain tightly closed, sealed in resin.
Nothing can force these cones to open4not
hammers, not tools, nothing. They open only when exposed
to intense heat from fire. When a forest fire moves through,
the heat melts away the resin, the cones open, and the seeds
fall to the ground.
The church is like that. We gather as broken people who
have been through the fire trials, disappointments, and
suffering. It is in the heat of life9s pressures that we open and
share our struggles with one another. The church is not filled
with perfect people who have never faced difficulties. It is a
place where people have experienced the refining fire of
God9s work in their lives. In fellowship, we open our hearts to
one another, and new spiritual life develops. Churches where
people pray for you, encourage you, and walk with you
through the hours of life are beautiful because we are all being
refined together.
