Fire, Furnace and Fears

Fire was the element of reflection this week in my Easter E-Course, so herewith - more fire -

See, I have refined you, but not like silver;

I have tested you in the furnace of adversity.

Isaiah 48:10

So what of the fire, the refinement, the fears, the furnace

Step in and die

Step in and live

What fears will become ashes

That of failure

Of being judged by one's friends and foe

Fear of non-creativity

Of everything

Rather, why not the crucible

Taking on courage with the fire

Taking on confidence with the purification

Taking on the badge of honor and creativity

Taking only the shield of God's perfect judgement of his creation

Fire

Image via Wikipedia

Reflecting upon the element of fire in connection to an Abbey of the Arts Easter season E-Course, I found these thoughts rolling around in my head -

Fire - what does it mean to me?  Love, passion, rebirth, death.  As a blazing engulfed tree is it a release of fresh new life that escapes the firey scorch by taking refuge in the moist earth below?  As the seed of rebirth do I remember the gift of that hot burning flame pushing me to the edge of renewal, commitment, life, growth?

Recalling a passion, tingling with memories - memories of what?  The forbidden, the narrow escape, the secret of darkness.....perhaps more thrilling than the light of day illumination of the forbidden?  

But if the passion for the forbidden titillates one's soul, how must the transfer of that passion to the goodness, the love of, the expansiveness of life become an even greater gift and surprise to the trusting self who says yes to the gift of fire.

Have you ever given thought to a fire that pushed you to the edge?  A forbidden edge - a renewal edge?  Did you refuse to leap, thus being consumed into ashes.  Or did you leap into the unknown recognizing that new life was waiting for you if only you had the nerve to face your fire and trust?