The fourth man in the fire

It is given, it is sure, I will never walk alone.

Up and down life’s long winding road,

In and out of the streets and corners of daily living,

Out and about the mounts and vales of my unfolding story,

I walk not alone.

 

I am confident because I met the great I AM

I AM says, ‘by Him, through Him and for Him I was made’

How then can I walk alone?

I carry His genes, embody His glory, evidence His blueprint for life,

Heaven is mandated to watch over me.

No matter the season, no matter the time, no matter the place, the great I AM is with me.

 

In the fire, it is not just me, myself and I; He is the fourth man inside.

So in this fire I walk, convinced I shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch me

When the enemy comes in like a flood, He lifts up a standard against him.

So I pass through the waters and He is with me,the rivers shall not overflow me.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.

He is with me.

 

The fourth man in the fire is my strength, my personal bravery, my invincible army

With Him, I always win.

He makes my feet like hind’s feet; steady, strong, full of grip

With Him I do not stand still in terror but walk fearlessly on my high hills.

My mountain mover, my planet shaker, my giant slayer

He always makes a way for me.

Loving the discomfiture

I am learning to love discomfiture; the kind conceived when truth is spoken. The one if embraced, births change for the better. This discomfiture often comes disguised as inconvenience and dressed in words that bite at our comfort and complacency.

Ever been in a conversation and the words spoken disturb your waters? You begin to feel uneasy just holding on to that thought, or insisting on that way of doing things or resisting that demand to upgrade?

For a long time when something was addressed in me, my first impulse was to swiftly erect walls of defense. Almost immediately discomfort would set in as I realized what was being said was true and as it became plain to me that I needed to change. This third response is where the catch is; it can either make you for the better or break you for the worse. Many times I have resisted discomfort rather than embrace it and unfortunately refused the call to change.

Now, I choose wisdom; I train myself to allow the discomfiture inspired by truth to bridle me out of mediocrity. I choose to buy the truth and sell it not. Well, buying truth can be a costly, painful, prickly affair but it always yields profit; the profit of a better me.

So my heart is stirred up this morning, at the wake of another discomfiture brought my way by truth. But I love it. I will not resist nor rationalize against truth; I will take a long gaze into my inside, face the mediocrity I find and handle it. There is no shortcut. Cheap is ultimately expensive. Running away from the discomfiture is cheap. I will gladly count the cost and pay up.

And listening to Hillsong’s “Like Incense” my heart lights up in agreement:

“Your statutes are my heritage forever

My heart is set on keeping your decrees

Please still my anxious urge towards rebellion

Let love keep my will upon its knees.

All your ways are lovely and faithful

The road is narrow but your burden light

Because you gladly lean to lead the humble,

I shall gladly kneel to lose my pride.”