Beholding The Furnace

I said, "I want to see You Lord.  Reveal Yourself to me as You truly are"

So He took my hand and began to lead

As He walked along, I followed

We walked many paths

Winding in one direction

And then another

All the while, hope filled my heart

In anticipation of the wonder

That I would surely soon experience

Surely soon, I would behold His glory

Surely soon, delight would fill me

As I gazed upon His true form

As we neared the end of the path

I knew, just ahead, all I had anticipated

Was just within reach

But to my dismay and horror

At the end of the path

Lay a rejected, rough-hewn cross

I cried out, "My Lord, this is not what I was expecting!"

He said, "My daughter, to know Me is to suffer"

I pleaded, "Is there any other way?"

He answered, "No. You must die"

I must die

I must be broken of my own understanding of myself

I must pass through the furnace

Because that is the only way

To see Him as He truly is on the other side

And behold Him in all His wonder

"The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord is the tester of hearts." (Prov 17:3)

"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit.  Anyone who loves their life will lose it, and anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it to life eternal.  Whoever serves Me, must follow Me, and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor them." (John 12:24-26)

"You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies." (1 Cor 15:37)

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal 2:20)

"In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples." (Luke 14:33)