Monday Prayer: Fire of Preparation
Father, fire appears throughout Scripture as symbol of your presence, your holiness, your judgment, and your refining work. You appeared to Moses in fire, led Israel by fire, descended on Sinai in fire, consumed sacrifices with fire. Fire represents who you are - holy, pure, powerful, and consuming.
In five days, tongues of fire will rest on the disciples as your Spirit comes. But today, fire is already working invisibly, refining them through waiting, purifying them through prayer, preparing them through persistent trust. I'm in my own refining fire - the fire of waiting that burns away self-sufficiency, consumes wrong expectations, purifies impure motives.
This fire is uncomfortable. I want the empowering fire without the refining fire. I want the dramatic manifestation without the hidden preparation. But you're wise. You refine before you empower. You purify before you fill. You prepare before you release. Burn away what doesn't belong. Consume what opposes you. Refine me for what's coming. I'm waiting for the fire. Come, Holy Spirit.
