Over a week ago the small west Texas town of Cross Plains was almost wiped off the map by a wildfire. As many of the other fires in Texas it started in a field and quickly grew into a monster that would engulf many of the homes that represented the lives of those who had lived in the area all of their life. The loss for many was total and it was heartbreaking to hear. One elderly woman lost her life in the midst of the fire.
I read an account a few days after the fire in Cross Plains from the leader of the volunteer fire department that had fought this fire so valiantly. He showed the reporter where the fire had started. Then he drove the reporter to a location where at one point the fireman felt like they had the fire under control.
It all changed quickly. The wind has been a big factor in these fires spreading rapidly all across the state. Just as they thought they had the fire under control, the wind blew, a spark drifted into a new area and the race was on. From that point on there was little the small group of volunteers and all who helped them could do. The fire proceeded at that moment to consume a city and change the lives of every resident in this small town in one way or another.
One spark that is all it took and Cross Plains would never be the same again. That is exactly how it is with sin in our lives. We think we have things under control, we think we have sin cornered and stopped in its tracks. We drop our guard for just a moment, the spark flies and before we know it things are out of control and the fire is consuming us. From that moment on our lives are never the same again.
There are lessons of this clearly in the Bible. David believes everything is under control, he takes a look, sees a beautiful woman and instead of putting out the fire by looking the other way. He invites her over, commits adultery and his life would never be the same again. Moses sees a brother being beaten. His anger burns, he takes matters into his own hands and kills the transgressor, his life would never be the same again. Peter follows Jesus into the courtyard. He believes he can handle the pressure. He is recognized, his courage fades and he ends up denying he ever knew Jesus at his friend’s darkest hour.
Strong men of God all of them, but they played with fire and got burned. We unfortunately are no different, let us heed the warnings and stay far from the fire. Here are a few lessons we can learn:
- Sin is never totally under control. You do not control sin it controls you. Get out of it; flee as you would a burning house, quickly.
- There is no such thing as small sin. Sin always seems like a little thing at first but given the opportunity to stay around in your life it will grow into a fierce wildfire.
- The minute you see the fire (sin) deal with it then. The sooner you deal with it the less of your life it will consume.
One last thing I want you to take note of is this. After the fire is put out the ground is charred. It is an ugly black and it looks like it will never be useful again. That is wrong with a burnt field and it is wrong when dealing with a loving God. When a fire is put out, before you know it you look at the ground and beautiful green grass is growing again. Many times better than it was before. If your life has been consumed by sin and it appears that the evil one has stolen from you any opportunity for a productive life with God, look to the burnt field and see the green seedlings growing from the charred land, with the heavenly Father there is always hope.
God can take charred up lives and make them beautiful again. Put out the fire, let the healing begin.
Scripture: Genesis 4:7, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” (By the way Cain did not master it and thus came the first murder.)
Psalm 103:2-5 “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Really just read all of Psalm 103.
Prayer: Dear Lord, have us not in anyway to flirt with sin. Help us to flee from it, to confess it to you before it consumes and destroys. We thank you for your forgiveness and the help of your Holy Spirit. In Christ Name, Amen.
