Walk Through Fire
After I was saved back in 1977, I purchased my first bible. Leather bound, Giant print, Red-letter, King James Version. It was so heavy I could hardly carry it. The truth is, it's still my favorite translation, and I take to a small group every week. As I read, frequently one of the scriptures would "jump out" at me, and I would receive it as a secret word for my life. I would then inscribe the date above the scripture to help remind me of the day I received the word. That's precisely what happened to me one morning while reading Isaiah 43. When I read the words; "Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." I didn't have a clue as to the true meaning of that word, but I made a note and went on with my little life.
Several weeks later, I asked my son to mow the lawn when he got in from school. Just before leaving for work, I walked into our garage to fill the lawnmower with gas so it would be ready to go when he got home. Our garage was not attached to our home, and our water heater was located in the left rear corner. The lawnmower was also in the rear of the garage. I proceeded to remove the cap to the mower tank and fill it with gas, and it overflowed! About that time, it dawned on me, the dangers of gas that near to the heater. I glanced over to the water heater and saw the cover to the flame at the bottom was open! There was a door in the same corner, and I thought I would open it in hopes a breeze might go through and take the fumes from the gas away from the heater. Wrong! As I walked toward the door, the fumes followed me to the flame, and there was a deafening explosion and fire ignited all around me. The blast was so powerful that it threw me against the water heater. So strong that my body made a deep impression all down one side.
Now bear in mind, I had on my dress clothes, high heels and hose, fully dressed for work. I felt the fire all around me and up under my dress. But to my surprise, when I gathered myself up and staggered out of the garage, I was not burned, my hose did not melt. The only evidence that I had been near a blaze was a couple singed hairs from my bangs! I hadn't even bruised from denting the water heater. Suddenly I remember the scripture the Holy Spirit had quickened to me a few weeks earlier.
So when something seems to speak to you as you are reading the word, make a note, you never know how it is going to affect your life. Holy Spirit delights in revealing His secrets to us.
