House on Fire

It has been the Lord's way in my life to parallel an issue in my heart with the house that we live in. I don't know why He does that with me, but He does. Regardless of why, I am very appreciative of this as I am a very visual person.

Over several nights Christmas 2006 the Lord gave me a series of dreams about the house we currently rent, burning down.

Having seen what happened the week I dreamt of floods in September, Anthony was very keen to check that our house insurance was up to date, in case it really did burn down. I however sought the Lord for what it was He was trying to say to me.

The revelation came a little while later.

We live in a beautiful wooden house. Pretty well everything is wooden other than the tiles in the bathrooms and hearths. It is nicely decorated, light and airy. It has a wonderful 'feel' to it. People walk in and often comment on the loveliness of it.

The Lord told me that I was that house.

The Lord also told me that this was how I have often been viewed as well.

Yet He promised that a new day was coming.

See after living a little while in this lovely little house, Anthony and I noticed that some things had been renovated really quickly. Glass sheets would fall out of cupboards. Floorboards would scratch at the slightest thing (because they had not been varnished hard enough), light switches would cease to work, sealing around sinks and baths slowly started to pull away. Niggly little things started to happen that made the house not as attractive to us as it first was to us.

The Lord told me that just like this house there were things that were like that in my life. Not so niggly little things that needed to come under the refining fire of the Lord. We all know that old adage, that a stitch in time saves nine. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if these character flaws are NOT burnt out now that I am in for big trouble later on.

At first this left me bewildered, hurt and feeling very alone. But the Lord has used this time to mirror many of my character flaws, insecurities and fears.

Praise be to God though that this is not my first such wilderness experience. The Lord has often taken me through refiners fire. Showing me my true nature and character, my unsurrended heart, my uncrucified flesh, my unsubmissive will. And each time He crushes and breaks and hones out the changes that He wants wrought.

The Lord revealed that I was in for a spiritual house fire. He was going to burn away the dross, the wood and chaff and rebuild me a new.

It has not been an easy road. I have not always responded the way that He would have me respond, but I am starting to see His victories in my life. I have begun to notice the redemptive work of the cross, I can see resurrection life starting to shoot forth.

Part of the way the Lord has done this in my life is through Cleansing Stream Ministries. It has been a time of laying foundational truths in such a way that this time, I can't help but know them, and God in a new intimate way.

I know this time is not over, but I can see an end in sight. I am looking forward to the retreat this weekend and seeing what the Lord does. I am ever thankful that He chose now to make these changes, as we plan to move to the UK.

But most of all I am especially thankful that the Lord never just leaves us alone, but sanctifies us so that we can truly reflect His glory and enjoy Him forever.

~selah~