Consuming Fire

Monday night, in preparation to cook supper, I filled a pan with oil, set the burner on low, or so I thought... Knowing that it would take awhile for the oil to heat up, I went on to finish up some other things around the house that I needed to do. Lee had went out for a meeting, so I was waiting dinner for him and was not in a huge hurry.
After about ten minutes or so, Lucy (my parents dog, whom we share custody of! haha!) started frantically barking in the kitchen. I yelled at her a couple of times to shut up, but she just got louder and more annoying, so I walked in to see what in the world was bothering her.
To my horror, the pan with the oil in it, was completely engulfed in flames! The stove had been jacked up to high! The fire was to the point that I needed to either put it out right then or the cabinets above the stove would ignite as well.
Now, the non-panicked me knows exactly what to do when there is a oil/grease fire...you either throw a damp towel over it, or you dump flour or baking soda on it, or you smother it with a lid. Any one of those tactics would have worked... However, the very panicked me had absolutely no idea what to do. So i yanked the pan off the stove and stood in the middle of the kitchen with it in my hand saying over and over again, " Jesus, What do I do....What do I do...WHAT DO I DO!!!!" It didn't take long before the heat burned my hand. In a moment of pain and panic, I threw the pan into my sink...my sink full of dish water...I KNOW...even stating that sends me back into a full-fledged heart pounding, pits sweating, rapid breathing panic all over again! It took less than a second (which really felt like an eternity) for me to realize, "Oh ya, THAT'S what your NOT supposed to do!!!" The moment the pan hit the water it exploded. Fire blew up the cabinets over the sink and licked all the way across the ceiling above me. In those few seconds, which again felt like an eternity, I was screaming and staring at the fire that was unlike anything I have ever seen. In those moments I knew three things for sure; my kitchen was engulfed in flames, I needed to get my boys out immediately, and that it was all because of my stupidity.
Just as quickly as it exploded it was gone. I ran through the house opening all of the doors and windows as thick black smoke began to fill the house. I was shaking and apparently crying and praying out loud, when both the boys ran in, saw me and the smoke, and started crying as well. (Afterward, I realized that they thought that I had been hurt! Poor babies!!) I ran back into the kitchen and stared at the wall and ceiling, they were black with fire damage. You could see so clearly exactly where the fire had been. It looked like black fingers reaching across the wall and ceiling! I figured that I would try and clean it up before Lee got home...I just made a bigger mess!
When Lee got home, he (thankfully!!) wasn't upset. He was just glad we were ok! It might have been the fact that the moment he stepped through the door I started crying all over again! I think he figured being upset with me would only make my hysterics worse! (Not that I am ever dramatic or hysterical!) All that said, we are going to have to Kilz and then repaint the kitchen and the ceiling....But, seriously, at least no one was hurt and there wasn't anymore damage than there is! I truly believe that the Lord heard my cries (or rather SCREAMS!) and protected us!

As I retell that story, I can't help but think of these verses~

Deut. 4:24 "For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

Hebrews 12:28-29, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'"

Let me tell you, consuming fire makes so much more sense to me now! When I walked into that kitchen, all I saw was that fire! It consumed my thoughts, my vision, everything around me. When it exploded I felt like everywhere I looked there was fire! When it was gone, there was no question that it had been there and exactly where and what it had touched. The evidence of it's presence was not easily wiped away.
God is a consuming fire! When we are in His presence it will consume our thoughts, our vision, and everything around us! He is everywhere we look!! It brings a true reverence and awe! When He shows up, there is no question where He was or what He has touched! It's obvious!!! The evidence of His presence is not easily wiped away! It lasts! It permanently damages what we once were! Praise God, He is making us more like Him!!! And our God is an All-Consuming Fire!!!! Let's step up and worship Him acceptably!!!!

(ps...Lucy now has a new name, Lassie! HAHA!!!)