Burn Me Up!

Yes, two post in two days! (Technically one cause I haven't gone to bed yet!)

This past year I really became obsessed/fascinated by a song called “Burn Us Up” by Shane & Shane. The base of this song is the biblical story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The lyrics tell their story and exemplify their hearts plea to be consumed by God and his desire. This is what they say:

There were three before the king.
There were three who wouldn't bow to him.
For when you heard the music play and you were standing you would burn.
They looked at him and said...

Burn us up. Burn us up. Burn us up.
Oh, king won't you burn us in the furnace of your desire.
We give up. We give up. We give up.
Oh, king won't you burn us in the furnace of your desire.
Oh won't you throw us in the fire.

The king enraged at what they said.
Sent the three away to find their death.
The palace stopped in unbelief when the guilty raised their hands to sing...

Burn us up. Burn us up. Burn us up.
Oh, king won't you burn us in the furnace of your desire.
We give up. We give up. We give up.
Oh, king won't you burn us in the furnace of your desire.
Oh won't you throw us in the fire.

You are able to deliver from the fire of affliction!
It's the declaration of my Lord!
You're not an image of gold!
You're the God of Old.
You have made us. Come and save us. We are yours!
But even if you don't we will burn.

So burn us up in the furnace of your desire.

There are many thoughts in this song that strike me and really compel me in my own faith but there a few that are so powerful, even just thinking about the true devotion they symbolize and the God that is represented brings tears to my eyes. First, is the power of God to deliver us not only from literal fire, but the afflictions of our lives. I have felt those afflictions a lot in the past few weeks with the death of my father and great grandfather and many unexpected changes that have come my way. I know that if God can deliver these three from a fiery furnace that God can deliver not only me but everyone from these earthly afflictions that we face. Second, is the declaration of faith, after pleading with God to save them, they declare in the song version with much exclamation “But even if you don’t, even if you don’t, we will burn, we will burn…so burn us up in the furnace of your desire.” WOW!!!! How many times do we look at our afflictions and petty “desires” and think God must not love me because he isn’t “rescuing” me or giving me what I “want”? These three men were so passionate about their faith that they were willing to give of their lives in a very painful way for their creator. Where has our passion gone? Where is our faith that will cause us to cry out to God and say even if you do not rescue me from this affliction I will serve you! I will burn for you Lord! I can’t speak for you, but for me, especially this year and even in the midst of pain and sorrow, I will choose to live out my faith in a passionate way and I pray that I will be willing to cry out in the midst of the burning flames, Lord, burn me up!