Burning, not Consummed

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.”

Exodus 3:2

Are you on fire for God? I mean really burning. So much Spirit and power coursing through your veins that you are literally bursting with the light of the Lord.

Or have you ever been to a worship service and left just completely drained?

Often when we are filled with God’s love and Spirit we find that we become quite exhausted afterward. We put so much of ourselves into that moment that our physical body is fully sapped of energy. Essentially we have drained ourselves of everything. Sounds a lot like giving it all to God, doesn’t it?

True worship and celebration of God’s power and love is exactly that; giving it all. It is tiring. It is exhausting. It is draining. But it is not consuming. In the end we are still here and we still have a mission to fulfill.

Notice the bush in the story of Moses. Did you catch how the angel of the Lord was a flame of fire and that it was in the midst of a bush? The bush was not the angel, but instead the bush was merely the vessel in which the angel resided. Also take notice that the bush was not consumed. After the angel left and the experience of that moment with Moses had passed, the bush went back to being a bush. An anointed bush, but a bush nonetheless.

As we worship and celebrate God we experience a very similar occurrence. We too are filled up as a vessel of the Lord. The Holy Spirit resides in us and moves in the ways that the Lord desires. It is like a fire in our bellies that drives us to accomplish unthinkable tasks. We are able to love better, understand more, perform acts of amazement, and simply worship God continuously. However, when the Spirit departs you are still just you.

Sounds a bit depressing I know, but that is the point. Everyday we must strive to have more of God poured into us. Maybe not the level we receive at the altar that can leave us drained afterwards, but enough of His Spirit to keep us energized and fulfilled. I desire enough of His Spirit so that we do not forget whom we serve and so that others will see His presence upon us.

I know some people say they want to be consumed by God, but I have to wonder if that is what they really mean, and if that is what God desires. Think about it for a moment. To be consumed means to no longer be you. How could God want that?

God loves you for you! He created you and has a plan for you. If He consumes you continuously then of what use can you be? Instead lets invite God to inhabit us; to reside in us. To trickle drops of Himself into us when we need it most, but still let us move forward and accomplish His mission. Let us be consumed in the altar, but burning in the streets.