We have just finished putting a load of firewood in the shed at the back of the house. There is nothing more cheerful than a fire burning in the grate on a cold raw winter day, and the mess and wok that a wood burning fire makes is more than worth the trouble of cleaning up around it!

A fire has many qualities….it not only keeps the house warm and inviting, but it can be used to get rid of any rubbish around the place….it cleanses as it burns. It is also referred to as a refining fire, and we know that a fire is used to clean any dross out of metals. Watching a metal worker heating the metal and then being able to twist it into any shape that he wants to, shows us that when we go through the fires of troubles and trials, that we come out at the other end, the better for it. Let us make sure that this is so, and that we don’t become bitter instead of better!

Something else that we can learn from a fire is that if a coal is taken out of it and left by itself on the hearth, it will gradually go cold and black, no more use for anything. So this is a warning to us, to make sure we keep in the fire of meeting with God’s people regularly to keep ourselves glowing with His peace and joy, able to warm and encourage others with our company.