The Jesus' Refining Fire

 ““I have come to bring fire on the earth, 

and how I wish it were already kindled!

(From Luke 12:49-56)

As I write this post, the sky is hazy with smoke from the Canadian wildfires.

Currently, the Canadian government reports over 700 wildfires burning, primarily caused by human activities, lightning strikes, and climate change.

The majority of the active fires are labeled "out of control," meaning they are not contained, spreading the smoke, causing the world's worst air quality. 

For me it's like Abraham looking towards Sodom and Gomorrah watching smoke rising from God’s destroyed land 

Jeremiah wrote about God's fire as destructive while Malachi 3:2-3 wrote about it as refining, both bring about change

As a rabbi, Jesus, knowing the scriptures, wants to set a refining fire of change.

As the Son of God, Jesus asks that God’s kingdom disrupt the world bringing it to perfection through a refining fire..

This perfection means no oppression, greed, or idolatry.

It’s the same for exploitation, dehumanization, narcissism, or any evil preventing God’s people from creating and thriving.

To pray “thy kingdom come” is to pray for God’s refining fire of change.

For Jesus, the refining fire burns down our human need for security those institutions that providing human security instead of God’s security.

It does not, however, serve the purposes of comfort. The fire Jesus describes is costly, but it serves the purpose of life and love.

The refining fire’s light leads to action and action leads to choice.

 In the words of the poet Mary Oliver ,

The gospel of

light is the crossroads of -- indolence, or action.

Be ignited, or be gone.

For me being ignited is based on Micah 6:8, justice, mercy, walking with God.