refiner’s fire

i will bring them through the fire
and make them pure
i will refine them like silver
and purify them like gold

they will call on my name
and i will answer them
i will say, “these are my people”
and they will say, “the Lord is our God”

-zechariah 13:9

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you listened when your pride said you were perfect.

you believed it when your mirror said you’re not.

you hid away when addiction called you captive.

you gave in to the doomscroll and the rot.

you let the anger fester like a sore.

you chased the thing you knew would do you in.

you never had to learn to hate your brother.

nobody had to teach you how to sin.

it’s not that you’re predictable,
it’s that we are.

the ways that seem right in our hearts lead to death,
the works of our flesh are destruction,

the things that we don’t want to do, we do,
so why does it feel like we’re stuck in them?

nobody makes us drink the poison of bitterness.
or let shame call us small.
maybe we do love our neighbors the way we love ourselves:

hardly at all.

++++

each of us has one:
an attic full of noise and clutter,

full of kindling, these corners of our hearts.

stuffed with all the things we try to hide:
dried, and brittle, and waiting
for a spark

+

fortunately for us
there is a Fire already burning

and it has already conquered the dark.

it has something to say in response
to the lies you may have been taught

you’ve heard it said
“you were fine the way you were,”
but listen when the fire says
“i made you for more.”

you’ve heard them say
“you have to make it on your own”
but the fire tells you:
“you weren’t made to walk alone.”

the whispers come at night:
“you’re too far gone to come back home”
but the fire echoes back
“just let me guide you through the fog”

you’ll hear the liar tell you,
“you’re too broken to be used,”
the fire is roaring louder,
“behold, i’m making all things new.”

let Him strip away the layers of our deceit
let Him burn away the filthy rags of our best intentions
let Him remake us from the ash of what we were

because who can hide from holy flame–
and who could stop His love?

so we will seek his face
and he will call us his.

he will burn away all our unrighteousness

you’ll be in the smoke,
standing in the flames,
but you’re not standing in ruin,
you’re held in his strength

so do not fear the refiner’s fire
he’s skillful, steady, and pure.
join your life to the flame of his glory
come and be remade by the wonder of the Lord!

photography by:
+          alex crawford
++        chaise tinsley
+++       jeff warta
++++     austin rapp
+++++    taylor galmarini