Fire

 

Devotion: The Fire of Blessing

Scripture:
"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." — Matthew 5:44 (KJV)
"Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." — Romans 12:20 (KJV)

Reflection:
God, in His infinite wisdom, chose Hebrew—a language rich with symbolism and meaning—to reveal many of His truths. Each Hebrew letter has a sound, a numerical value, and a picture, giving the language both depth and texture. This design was no accident; it was part of God’s plan to express Himself with profound clarity and beauty.

Take the word "bless" in Hebrew: ashar. The pictograph behind it portrays the idea of fire on the head. At first, this seems contradictory. Fire on the head sounds like judgment, not kindness. But in the Hebraic mindset, fire often represents purification and presence—not punishment. It is a fire that warms, refines, and lights the way.

Now reconsider Paul’s words about “heaping coals of fire” on an enemy's head. It is not an act of revenge but a poetic image of blessing. Paul is not contradicting Jesus; he is echoing Him in Hebraic thought. To love our enemies—to feed, clothe, and pray for them—is to place a refining fire upon them. We bless them with the fire of kindness, which can soften the hardest heart and burn away bitterness.

Contemplation:
Do I view my enemies through the lens of vengeance or redemption? When wronged, is my first instinct to bless or to retreat? Have I truly grasped the Hebraic depth of what it means to bless—especially those who are hard to love?

The truth is, blessing our enemies reveals that we have truly been changed by grace. We cannot do this in our own strength. It is not natural—but it is supernatural. It is the way of the cross.

As Jeremiah Burroughs once said:

“A Christian indeed values the grace that gives him a heart to forgive more than the power to revenge.”

Prayer:
Lord God, I thank You for the beauty and depth of Your Word. Thank You for revealing truth not only through words but through images and meaning that deepen my understanding. Help me to bless those who hurt me. Teach me to love my enemies, not because they deserve it, but because You loved me when I was still in sin. May my life be marked by the refining fire of Your Spirit, that even my enemies would feel the warmth of Your love through me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.