Where There's Smoke, There's Fire

     We moved back to Oregon about nine months ago. The heat in our former Arizona could be hard to endure, but currently there's not much heat, but there's lots of smoke and ash from forest fires near and far throughout Oregon, California, and Washington. The beautiful Pacific Northwest states are ablaze. 

    Before the fires had begun, I saw smoke plumes rising up past our second story windows. I yelled downstairs to my husband, "Fire, I see smoke!" He went outside to search for the cause of the smoke and I opened the upstairs window to get a better look at what was going on. I heard the voices of young boys laughing. One said, "You know what's funny? They say not to play with fire, but that's just what we're doing!" 

    Apparently, the neighbors had gotten a new fire pit and the boys decided to "play with fire." I called my daughter-in-law who knows the neighbors and she called to check if the boys were okay. The mother said she was watching them. The smoke was definitely caused by fire, but we had nothing to be afraid of at the time. 

    With this current forest fire less than 30 miles away, and lots of smoke surrounding us, we decided to make "bug out bags" just in case the smoke became more than irritating. We packed a set of clothes, sleeping bags, food, and such just in case "where there's smoke, there's fire." 

    In Exodus 3, Moses is tending his father-in-laws flock of sheep when "the angel of the LORD appeared to him in the flames of fire from within a bush." Moses inspects the unusual site only to have God call his name from the bush. Moses replies to the voice, "Here I am." God tells Moses that He has heard the cries of the Israelites over their suffering as slaves of the Egyptians. God then tells Moses, "I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." 

    Moses was curious because the bush on fire didn't burn, so he drew near to "see this strange sight." Just as I drew near to see the smoke that was billowing by our window. It wasn't something I had seen before, but once I had my answer and knew the smoke was coming from a contained fire, I dismissed the event. Moses wanted to do the same once he found out that God wanted to send him to save His chosen people. Moses felt completely unprepared for such an assignment. He made excuse after excuse as to why God should find someone else to do this job. 

    How often have I satisfied my curiosity about something and walked away? I felt the job that God had in mind was way above my pay grade. I felt I was not only not able to perform the allotted tasks, but also simply unwilling. Has God gotten mad at me for not obeying Him like He did with Moses in Exodus 4:13-14, "But Moses said, 'Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.' Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, 'What about your brother Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well.'"

    Yikes, I can't imagine telling God, "Thanks, but no thanks," but in reality I have! Each time He's given me an opportunity to serve Him and I've baulked and given numerous excuses as to why I'm not the gal for the job. But these aren't just job opportunities, these directives are ministries. These are soul saving events, that I have passed by out of self-consciousness, fear, or even laziness. 

    Eventually God quits calling and sends someone else, then we have lost that blessing and the opportunity to serve God and glorify Him. These are eternal decisions that will change lives, ours and others, forever. Let's step forward when we see smoke, not just out of curiosity, but as believers "on fire for the Lord." Amen.