The annual Burning Man festival has just ended. Set in the grueling heat of the Nevada desert, each year it attracts thousands of people who are searching for something outside ‘the establishment’ The festival climaxes with the burning of a mammoth effigy. This year it made the headlines because tragically one man ran into the fiery figure and was physically destroyed in the flames.
I follow the event with interest each year because a friend of ours leads a group who bring a different sort of fire to the gathering. In the midst of the desert heat they offer free water to thirsty ‘Burners’ then invite them to their tent for a p(s)alm reading or a dream interpretation. Their desire is that these spiritual seekers should encounter the ‘One’ they have been “LOnGing to Be” in connection with.
My friend Rob is a huge bear of a man with a voice so deep he would be a cert for a Holywood voiceover for Almighty God! When he sends us his report after the event giving a picture of a little broken sparrow encompassed in the healing embrace of this flesh and blood manifestation of our loving heavenly Father, it brings a tear to the eye. (This year one of the broken sparrows he encompassed was not so little – an f#*!-mouthed seven foot Scandinavian hulk!)
Rob is the true “Burning Man” – a human being consumed by another fire – the fire of God – the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the ‘one’ who was and is the perfect expression of the “perfect love” that everyone longs for.
I recalled the story of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons.(Lev.10:1-3) Sadly they like the young man last week met an early death by fire. The reason given was that they offered “unauthorized” fire to God. Although our God is a playful God, it is unwise to play with the fire that He is, on our terms! As Mr Beaver from Narnia said, “…he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
Many of those attending Burning Man are ‘burning’ with an anger against authority, often because they have suffered abuse from authority figures in their lives. The answer to abuse however is not disuse but rather proper use.
The commonest command in scripture is “Fear Not”. But this goes hand in hand with the second most common command which is “Fear God”. The fear of God is quite different from tormenting human angst. The Amplified bible describes it as “submissive wonder” “awe inspired reverence” “profound respect”.
The popular ‘spirituality’ that has been spawned in recent years is described by Paul 2000 years ago in 2 Tim.4:3 The Message version appropriate for the desert gathering puts it like this,
“You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages”.
Instead of No Fear – Fear God, the mantra becomes No Sin – Self God
When we reject God’s authority and his ‘spiritual’ law (Rm.7:14) and set Self up as ‘god’…the ultimate authority, we tragically miss the mark.
There were two men in the New Testament narrative who were also seekers.
As ‘army officers’ in the occupying Roman force, they were clearly outside the cultural/religious/political establishment of that time and place. Both soldiers however, shared one thing which got God’s attention and approval; the first received Jesus affirmation on earth when he was told, “I have not found such great faith in all Israel!” (Matt.8:10), the second received Jesus affirmation from heaven when He received the outpoured Holy Spirit!(Acts 10)
The first Centurion told Jesus it would be no problem for Him to heal from a distance because he knew Jesus power was not to do with physical proximity but with the spiritual authority that He exercised as a submissive son of God. He simply described the principle of authority that as a Roman soldier he operated on, day in and day out! This man got the healing he was looking for.
Peter was sent to the second Centurion to preach a gospel that was far better news than even he could have imagined, because it was good news for ALL people. We are told what set this other ‘outsider’ apart was that he too understood the authority issue and “feared God.” This man got the connection with God he was looking for.
Both these searchers approached God with ‘submissive wonder’ ‘awe inspired reverence’, ‘profound respect’……..and were both powerfully found, by Him!
It is when like Moses, with this healthy fear, we in humility ‘take off our shoes’ as we approach the ‘burning bush’ that is God, that we then begin experiencing authentic spiritual transformation from ‘glory to glory’ (2 Cor.3:16-18) until one day we discover that “old Self” is gone,”it’s love alone that’s left behind’* and like our Father we too as mature sons are ‘burning but not consumed!” (Gen.3)
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” (1 Jn.3:1-3)
* From “Easy Solutions” The Ascent of the Bright Hostage