Trash Fire

The waste paper can in the small establishment sat under the low coffee counter. Three feet away from it stood a fire extinguisher. These people were serious about how they treated the future. Sure, there wasn’t likely to be a need for the extinguisher, but when they did need it, it was going to be real handy.

Where’s your fire extinguisher? I’d contend that most of us have thrown away a lot of garbage in our lives. We might even have pulled some back out of the garbage can because we just couldn’t live without it. But the fact is that there are always things that we should be rid of. And the best way to not have access to them again is to burn them.

“…the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone…” (Rev 21:8) This scripture would indicate that God knows what to do with those bad habits. They will be put to death in the heat of the moment. But one thing about which I am thoroughly convinced, is that there will be no extinguisher when that time comes.

I am certain of that because the Extinguisher has existed for 2000 years. The issue is that we have to choose to have the Extinguisher in our lives now, not after the fact. He is the One who can forgive these acts of unrighteousness in this time so that we don’t have to suffer eternally in the fire later.

It’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ that extinguishes our sinful behavior so that when our day comes, judgment won’t cast us away into the trash dump. Even the murderer on the cross next to Jesus was forgiven just before they both died simply because he recognized the Truth of Jesus’ life. “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Plan on it.