On Fire But Not Consumed
By Michelle Wallace
We live in a culture of dependency . This isn ’ t an indictment on anything or anyone . I don ’ t have room to judge . I have been dependent on everything the world has to offer at one time or another . And I do mean everything . I could name it all — drugs , relationships , food , money ; but there ’ s not enough room on the page . A friend recently admitted she ’ s in a co-dependent relationship with her ex-husband . She ’ s reading a book to help identify what ’ s keeping her stuck and the author describes how these relationships are like a drug . My friend is an addict who needs to be set free . Our biggest struggles as individuals or groups of people are usually a result of unhealthy dependency .
As I write this , there are politicians in every party promising to fix the problems we face . There is something to be said about holding out hope for our nation . Real and strategic solutions are needed to govern in this hour . However , if we put our confidence in these people to bring true and lasting peace , we will most certainly be disappointed .
It ’ s not only government , we ’ ve created a culture of dependency in the church . I ’ m not sure where you are spiritually , but when I was very young , trying to fill the void with all the aforementioned and unmentioned drugs , I met a woman named Vivian McBee . She taught Bible study in the church I attended . Yes , I attended church , sometimes still drunk from the night before . When the church becomes the hospital for healing of the sick , it ’ s operating in the fullness of Christ . But I digress . I loved Vivian . She had so much wisdom . And one thing she always told us was that people will always disappoint you . She said there ’ s only one person you can always rely on , referring to the Lord . I usually believed everything she said , even though she said to always test everything ; to hold everything up to the light and let the Spirit of God prove what ’ s true . However , this statement couldn ’ t be right . Even though I ’ d been disappointed by everyone up to that point in my life , Vivian had never once disappointed me . Not one time . Then , she died . My mother in the faith , my confidant , my closest friend , she died . And guess what , I was disappointed .
Please don ’ t misunderstand me , we need one another ! But our greatest need and the only one who will fill us with lasting satisfaction is the Lord . The Word says what a man ultimately desires is unfailing love . Whenever anyone came to Jesus , He always manifested as the answer . He personified unfailing love .
It ’ s not the donkey or the elephant who is our source , but the Lion and the Lamb . I find it very interesting that this election season has people of every political persuasion saying that their candidate somehow comes up short . Well , this is good news ! What if causes us to search within and look up for our hope ? We are living in the most exciting times !
Some people look at the darkness and say , these are not exciting times , they are scary times . Some might even blame God . The argument — if He ’ s all loving and in control why does ISIS exist ? Why all the human atrocity ? This world is broken , but Christ in us , can bring life to a dying world . It ’ s time to take our place . We are not powerless . We do not need to grow weary and defeated , dependent on people or every other drug this world has to offer . Life , real and lasting life , happens when we become dependent on Him . And , no matter how much you rely on Him , unlike worldly drugs , you ’ ll only receive more life and never be consumed .
When God appeared to Moses it was a picture for us . He appeared to him in flames of fire blazing out of the middle of a bush . Moses looked . The bush was blazing away but it wasn ’ t consumed . Moses said , “ What ’ s going on here ? I can ’ t believe this ! Amazing ! Why doesn ’ t the bush burn up ?” God saw that he had stopped to look and called to him from out of the bush . He said “ Moses ! Moses !” Moses responded , “ Yes ? I ’ m right here !”
16 TEXOMA AREA Living Well Magazine | SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016